The GAPS programme at TNG LX Atmospheric characterisation of KELT-9 b via single-line analysis: Detection of six H I Balmer lines, Na I, Ca I, Ca II, Fe I, Fe II, Mg I, Ti II, Sc II, and Cr II

TL;DR

This study used high-resolution spectroscopy to detect multiple atomic lines in the atmosphere of the ultra-hot Jupiter KELT-9b, revealing atmospheric composition, wind patterns, and rotational dynamics through single-line analysis of six transits.

Contribution

First detection of Hε and Hζ lines, as well as Sc II and Cr II, in an exoplanet atmosphere, providing new insights into atmospheric stratification and wind dynamics.

Findings

Detected all six Balmer lines with >5σ significance.

Identified multiple metal lines, including first detections of Hε, Hζ, Sc II, and Cr II.

Revealed systematic blueshift indicating night-to-day side winds.

Abstract

We analysed six primary transits of the ultra-hot Jupiter KELT-9,b obtained with the HARPS-N high-resolution spectrograph in the context of the Global Architecture of Planetary Systems (GAPS2) project, to characterise the atmosphere via single-line analysis. We extracted the transmission spectrum of each individual line by comparing the master out-of-transit spectrum with the in-transit spectra and computing the weighted average of the tomography in the planet reference frame. We corrected for the centre-to-limb variation and the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect by modelling the region of the star disc obscured by the planet during the transit and subtracting it from the master-out spectrum. We detected all six observable lines of the Balmer series within the HARPS-N wavelength range, from H$\alpha$ to H$\zeta$, with a significance exceeding 5$\sigma$. We focussed on metal species, detecting Na I, Ca I, Ca II, Fe I, Fe II, Mg I, Ti II, Sc II, and Cr II lines. This is the first detection in the atmosphere of an exoplanet of H$\epsilon$ and H$\zeta$ lines, as well as of individual lines of Sc II and Cr II. Our detections are supported by a comparison with published synthetic transmission spectra of KELT-9b obtained accounting for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium effects. The results underline the presence of a systematic blueshift due to night-side to day-side winds. The single-line analysis allowed us not only to assess the presence of atomic species in the atmosphere of KELT-9 b, but also to further characterise the local stratification of the atmosphere. Coupling the height distribution of the detected species with the velocity shift retrieved, we acknowledged the height distribution of night-side to day-side winds. Moreover, the study of the rotational broadening of different species supports the prediction of a tidally locked planet rotating as a rigid body.