# Helium Absorption at 1083 nm from Extended Exoplanet Atmospheres: Dependence on Stellar Radiation

## TL;DR

This study explores how stellar radiation influences helium absorption at 1083 nm in exoplanet atmospheres, highlighting that planets near late-type stars, especially K stars, are most likely to show detectable signals due to favorable radiation conditions.

## Contribution

It identifies the stellar conditions that favor helium metastable state population, providing a theoretical basis for targeted exoplanet helium detection efforts.

## Key findings

- Planets near K-type stars are prime candidates for helium detection.
- Higher EUV flux enhances helium excitation, aiding absorption signal detection.
- Lower mid-UV flux reduces helium ionization, increasing metastable state population.

## Abstract

Strong absorption signatures in the helium line at 1083 nm have recently been detected in transmission spectra of several close-in exoplanets. This absorption line originates from neutral helium atoms in an excited, metastable 2$^3$S state. The population of helium atoms in this excited state is governed by the spectral shape and intensity of the incident stellar radiation field. We investigate what kind of stellar environments are most favorable for populating the metastable helium state in extended planetary atmospheres. Our results suggest that planets orbiting at close separations from late-type stars, particularly K stars, are the most promising candidates for transit absorption signals at 1083 nm. This result is supported by observations, as all four exoplanets with currently reported helium detections orbit K-type stars. In general, conditions for exciting helium atoms become more favorable at closer orbital separations, and around stars with higher levels of extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) flux, which ionizes the helium ground state, and lower levels of mid-ultraviolet (mid-UV) flux, which ionizes the helium metastable state.