Mining the Ultra-Hot Skies of HAT-P-70b: Detection of a Profusion of Neutral and Ionized Species

TL;DR

This study analyzes the transmission spectrum of the ultra-hot Jupiter HAT-P-70 b, detecting numerous atomic and molecular species, revealing atmospheric composition, high-velocity winds, and an extended envelope, advancing understanding of such extreme exoplanets.

Contribution

First high-resolution transmission spectroscopy analysis of HAT-P-70 b, detecting a wide range of atmospheric species and characterizing wind dynamics and atmospheric structure.

Findings

Detection of multiple atomic and molecular species in the atmosphere.

Evidence of high-velocity winds flowing from day to night side.

Identification of an extended atmospheric envelope.

Abstract

With an equilibrium temperature above 2500 K, the recently discovered HAT-P-70 b belongs to a new class of exoplanets known as ultra-hot Jupiters: extremely irradiated gas giants with day-side temperatures that resemble those found in stars. These ultra-hot Jupiters are among the most amenable targets for follow-up atmospheric characterization through transmission spectroscopy. Here, we present the first analysis of the transmission spectrum of HAT-P-70 b using high-resolution data from the HARPS-N spectrograph of a single transit event. We use a cross-correlation analysis and transmission spectroscopy to look for atomic and molecular species in the planetary atmosphere. We detect absorption by Ca II, Cr I, Cr II, Fe I, Fe II, H I, Mg I, Na I and V I, and we find tentative evidence of Ca I and Ti II. Overall, these signals appear blue-shifted by a few km s$^{-1}$, suggestive of winds flowing at high velocity from the day-side to the night-side. We individually resolve the Ca II H & K lines, the Na I doublet, and the H$\alpha$, H$\beta$ and H$\gamma$ Balmer lines. The cores of the Ca II and H I lines form well above the continuum, indicating the existence of an extended envelope. We refine the obliquity of this highly misaligned planet to $107.9^{+2.0}_{-1.7}$ degrees by examining the Doppler shadow that the planet casts on its A-type host star. These results place HAT-P-70 b as one of the exoplanets with the highest number of species detected in its atmosphere.