Maps and Masses of Transiting Exoplanets: Towards New Insights into Atmospheric and Interior Properties of Planets

TL;DR

This paper introduces two innovative methods for characterizing transiting exoplanets: eclipse mapping for atmospheric and cloud mapping, and MassSpec for determining planetary mass and atmospheric properties from transmission spectra, enhancing understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and interiors.

Contribution

The paper presents the first 2D and cloud maps of exoplanets using eclipse mapping and introduces MassSpec, a novel method to determine exoplanet masses from transmission spectra, reducing reliance on radial velocity data.

Findings

First 2D map of an exoplanet's atmosphere created.

First cloud map of an exoplanet generated.

MassSpec can determine masses of Earth-sized planets with JWST.

Abstract

With over 1800 planets discovered outside of the Solar System in the past two decades, the field of exoplanetology has broadened our perspective on planetary systems. Research priorities are now moving from planet detection to planet characterization. In this context, transiting exoplanets are of special interest due to the wealth of data made available by their orbital configuration. Here, I introduce two methods to gain new insights into the atmospheric and interior properties of exoplanets. The first method aims to map an exoplanet's atmosphere based on the scanning obtained while it is occulted by its host star. I introduce the basics of eclipse mapping, its caveats, and a framework to mitigate their effects via global analyses including transits, phase curves, and radial velocity measurements. I use this method to create the first 2D map and the first cloud map of an exoplanet for the hot-Jupiters HD189733b and Kepler-7b, respectively. Ultimately temperature, composition, and circulation patterns could be constrained in 3D, a significant asset for informing atmospheric models. The second method, MassSpec, aims to determine transiting planet masses and atmospheric properties solely from transmission spectra. Determination of an exoplanet's mass is key to understanding its basic properties, including its potential for supporting life. To date, mass constraints for exoplanets are mainly based on radial velocity measurements, which are not suited for planets with low masses, large semi-major axes, or those orbiting faint or active stars. I demonstrate that a planet's mass has to be accounted for by atmospheric retrieval methods to avoid biases and that JWST could determine the mass and atmospheric properties of half a dozen Earth-sized planets in their host's habitable zones over its lifetime, which could lead to the first identification of a habitable exoplanet.