Transmission spectroscopy for the warm sub-Neptune HD3167c: evidence for molecular absorption and a possible high metallicity atmosphere

TL;DR

This study presents a transmission spectrum of the warm sub-Neptune HD3167c, indicating potential molecular absorption and high metallicity atmosphere, with implications for atmospheric composition and planetary structure.

Contribution

First transmission spectrum analysis of HD3167c combining HST, Kepler/K2, and Spitzer data, revealing molecular absorption evidence and constraining atmospheric metallicity.

Findings

Evidence for molecular absorption by H2O, HCN, CO2, or CH4.

Cloud-free models with metallicity >700x solar fit the data.

Atmospheric metallicity degeneracy influenced by cloud properties.

Abstract

We present a transmission spectrum for the warm (500-600K) sub-Neptune HD3167c obtained using the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 infrared spectrograph. We combine these data, which span the 1.125-1.643 micron wavelength range, with broadband transit measurements made using Kepler/K2 (0.6-0.9 micron) and Spitzer/IRAC (4-5 micron). We find evidence for absorption by at least one of H2O, HCN, CO2, and CH4 (Bayes factor 7.4; 2.5-sigma significance), although the data precision does not allow us to unambiguously discriminate between these molecules. The transmission spectrum rules out cloud-free hydrogen-dominated atmospheres with metallicities <100x solar at >5.8-sigma confidence. In contrast, good agreement with the data is obtained for cloud-free models assuming metallicities >700x solar. However, for retrieval analyses that include the effect of clouds, a much broader range of metallicities (including subsolar) is consistent with the data, due to the degeneracy with cloud-top pressure. Self-consistent chemistry models that account for photochemistry and vertical mixing are presented for the atmosphere of HD3167c. The predictions of these models are broadly consistent with our abundance constraints, although this is primarily due to the large uncertainties on the latter. Interior structure models suggest the core mass fraction is >40%, independent of a rock or water core composition, and independent of atmospheric envelope metallicity up to 1000x solar. We also report abundance measurements for fifteen elements in the host star, showing that it has a very nearly solar composition.