Hubble WFC3 Spectroscopy of the Rocky Planet L 98-59 b: No Evidence for a Cloud-Free Primordial Atmosphere

TL;DR

This study analyzes HST data of exoplanet L 98-59 b, finding no evidence for a clear primordial atmosphere and suggesting it likely has a high mean molecular weight, cloudy, or no atmosphere, with future JWST observations needed.

Contribution

First detailed transmission spectrum analysis of L 98-59 b using HST data, constraining its atmospheric composition and ruling out a clear hydrogen-dominated atmosphere.

Findings

Weak absorption features suggest a cloudy atmosphere with HCN, but high HCN abundance is unrealistic.

The planet likely has a flat spectrum indicating a high mean molecular weight or no atmosphere.

Future JWST observations can better distinguish atmospheric scenarios.

Abstract

We are using archived data from HST of transiting exoplanet L~98-59~b to place constraints on its potentially hot atmosphere. We analyze the data from five transit visits and extract the final combined transmission spectrum using Iraclis. Then we use the inverse atmospheric retrieval code TauREx to analyze the combined transmission spectrum. There is a weak absorption feature near 1.40~$\mu m$ and 1.55~$\mu m$ in the transmission spectrum, which can be modeled by a cloudy atmosphere with abundant HCN. However, the unrealistically high abundance of HCN derived cannot be explained by any equilibrium chemical model with reasonable assumptions. Thus, the likeliest scenario is that L~98-59~b has a flat, featureless transmission spectrum in the WFC3/G141 bandpass due to a thin atmosphere with high mean molecular weight, an atmosphere with an opaque aerosol layer, or no atmosphere, and it is very unlikely for L~98-59~b to have a clear hydrogen-dominated primary atmosphere. Due to the narrow wavelength coverage and low spectral resolution of HST/WFC3 G141 grism observation, we cannot tell these different scenarios apart. Our simulation shows future higher precision measurements over wider wavelengths from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can be used to better characterize the planetary atmosphere of L~98-59~b.