Magnetic Effects and 3D Structure in Theoretical High-Resolution Transmission Spectra of Ultrahot Jupiters: the Case of WASP-76b

TL;DR

This study uses 3D atmospheric models with magnetic effects to analyze high-resolution transmission spectra of ultrahot Jupiter WASP-76b, revealing magnetic influences on atmospheric circulation and spectral features.

Contribution

It introduces the first detailed modeling of magnetic effects on high-resolution spectra of ultrahot Jupiters, emphasizing the importance of 3D and magnetic considerations for interpretation.

Findings

Magnetic effects influence Doppler shifts in spectra.

Different magnetic treatments produce distinct spectral trends.

Opacity sources affect the interpretation of atmospheric circulation.

Abstract

High resolution spectroscopy has allowed for unprecedented levels of atmospheric characterization, especially for the hottest gas giant exoplanets known as ultrahot Jupiters (UHJs). High-resolution spectra are sensitive to 3D effects, making complex 3D atmospheric models important for interpreting data. Moreover, these planets are expected to host magnetic fields that will shape their resulting atmospheric circulation patterns, but little modeling work has been done to investigate these effects. In this paper, we generate high-resolution transmission spectra from General Circulation Models for the canonical UHJ WASP-76b with three different magnetic treatments in order to understand the influence of magnetic forces on the circulation. In general, spectra from all models have increasingly blueshifted net Doppler shifts as transit progresses, but we find that the differing temperature and wind fields in the upper atmospheres of these models result in measurable differences. We find that magnetic effects may be contributing to the unusual trends previously seen in transmission for this planet. Our $B=3$ Gauss active drag model in particular shows unique trends not found in the models with simpler or no magnetic effects. The net Doppler shifts are additionally influenced by the dominant opacity sources in each wavelength range considered, as each species probes different regions of the atmosphere and are sensitive to spatial differences in the circulation. This work highlights the ongoing need for models of planets in this temperature regime to consider both 3D and magnetic effects when interpreting high resolution transmission spectra.