TRAPPIST-1h as an Exo-Titan. I. The Role of Assumptions about Atmospheric Parameters in Understanding an Exoplanet Atmosphere

TL;DR

This study assesses how assumptions about atmospheric parameters influence the detectability of Titan-like atmospheres on TRAPPIST-1h, highlighting the importance of temperature profiles and surface conditions for future JWST and UV observations.

Contribution

It evaluates the impact of various atmospheric parameters on the observability of Titan-like atmospheres on TRAPPIST-1h using models relevant for upcoming space telescopes.

Findings

JWST spectra are most sensitive to surface temperature and pressure.

Temperature gradients significantly affect spectral interpretations.

UV spectra probe the upper atmosphere and exobase extent.

Abstract

The TRAPPIST-1 system is home to at least seven terrestrial planets and is a target of interest for future James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations. Additionally, these planets will be of interest to future missions making observations in the ultraviolet (UV). Although several of these planets are located in the traditional habitable zone, where liquid water could exist on the surface, TRAPPIST-1h is interesting to explore as a potentially habitable ocean world analog. In this study, we evaluate the observability of a Titan-like atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1h. The ability of the JWST or a future UV mission to detect specific species in the atmosphere at TRAPPIST-1h will depend on how far each species extends from the surface. In order to understand the conditions required for detection, we evaluate the input parameters used in one-dimensional models to simulate the structure of Titan-like atmospheres. These parameters include surface temperature and pressure, temperature profile as a function of distance from the surface, composition of the minor species relative to N 2, and the eddy diffusion coefficient. We find that JWST simulated spectra for cloud- and haze-free atmospheres are most sensitive to surface temperature, temperature gradients with altitude, and surface pressure. The importance of temperature gradients in JWST observations shows that a simple isothermal scale height is not ideal for determining temperature or atmospheric mean molecular mass in transit spectra from exoplanet atmospheres. We demonstrate that UV transmission spectra are sensitive to the upper atmosphere, where the exobase can be used to approximate the vertical extent of the atmosphere.