Near-UV transit photometry of HAT-P-32 b with the LBT: Silicate aerosols in the planetary atmosphere

TL;DR

This study presents the first high-quality ground-based U-band transit observation of exoplanet HAT-P-32 b, revealing a scattering slope in its atmosphere likely caused by magnesium silicate aerosols, and compares this feature across multiple exoplanets.

Contribution

It provides the best ground-based U-band transit data of an exoplanet and introduces a spectral index to compare aerosol scattering features across different planets.

Findings

Detected a clear scattering slope indicating aerosols in HAT-P-32 b's atmosphere.

Most likely magnesium silicate aerosols larger than 0.1 micrometer are responsible.

The scattering feature is typical compared to other exoplanets in the sample.

Abstract

Broad-band exoplanet transit photometry can characterize the planetary atmosphere when observed at multiple selected filters. This observing technique can reveal gradients in the spectra of extrasolar planets, for example the slope of decreasing opacity from short to long optical wavelengths caused by aerosol scattering. In this work we observed a transit of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32 b in the shortest wavelength possible from the ground using the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The data comprise the best-quality ground-based U-band taken so far of an exoplanet transit. Compared to broad-band observations of intermediate and long optical wavelength published previously, a clear scattering slope in the planetary transmission spectrum is revealed. Most likely, the scattering particles are magnesium silicate aerosols larger than 0.1 micrometer. We define a spectral index to compare this scattering feature of HAT-P-32 b to published results of other exoplanets. It turns out to be very typical in amplitude within the comparison sample. Furthermore, we searched for correlation in this sample of the spectral index with planetary equilibrium temperature, surface acceleration and stellar activity indicator, but could not reveal any.