Detectability of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Atmosphere of WASP-6 b with JWST NIRSpec PRISM

TL;DR

This study evaluates the potential for detecting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in exoplanet atmospheres, specifically WASP-6 b, using future JWST NIRSpec PRISM observations, highlighting the importance of PAHs in planetary atmospheres and prebiotic chemistry.

Contribution

It demonstrates that JWST observations could reliably detect PAHs in exoplanet atmospheres, providing a new method for studying these molecules beyond our solar system.

Findings

PAHs could be detected if their abundance is around 0.1% of the ISM value

Current data do not confirm the presence of PAHs in WASP-6 b

Future JWST observations can significantly advance PAH detection in exoplanets

Abstract

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected throughout the universe where they play essential roles in the evolution of their environments. For example, they are believed to affect atmospheric loss rates of close-in planets and might contribute to the pre-biotic chemistry and emergence of life. Despite their importance, the study of PAHs in exoplanet atmospheres has been limited. We aim to evaluate the possibility of detecting PAHs on exoplanets considering future observations using JWST's NIRSpec PRISM mode. The hot Saturn WASP-6 b shows properties that are consistent with a potential PAH presence and is thus used as a case study for this work. Here, we compare the likelihoods of various synthetic haze species and their combinations with the influence of PAHs on the transmission spectrum of WASP-6 b. This is possible by applying the atmospheric retrieval code petitRADTRANS to a collection of data from previous observations. Subsequently, by exploring synthetic, single transit JWST spectra of this planet that include PAHs, we assess if these molecules can be detected in the near future. Previous observations support the presence of cloud/haze species in the spectrum of WASP-6 b. While this may include PAHs, the current data do not confirm their existence unambiguously. Our research suggests that utilizing the JWST for future observations could lead to a notable advancement in the study of PAHs. Employing this telescope, we find that a PAH abundance of approximately 0.1 per cent of the ISM value could be robustly detectable.