From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Tue Sep 13 2005 - 16:09:14 UTC
astro-ph/0509292 [abs, ps, pdf, other] :
Title: The Effect of Condensates on the Characterization of Transiting
Planet Atmospheres with Transmission Spectroscopy
Authors: Jonathan J. Fortney
Comments: 6 pages. Accepted to MNRAS
Through a simple physical argument we show that the slant optical depth
through the atmosphere of a "hot Jupiter" planet is 35-90 times greater than
the normal optical depth. This not unexpected result has direct consequences
for the method of transmission spectroscopy for characterizing the
atmospheres of transiting giant planets. The atmospheres of these planets
likely contain minor condensates and hazes which at normal viewing geometry
have negligible optical depth, but at slant viewing geometry have
appreciable optical depth that can obscure absorption features of gaseous
atmospheric species. We identify several possible condensates. We predict
that this is a general masking mechanism for all planets, not just for HD
209458b, and will lead to weaker than expected or undetected absorption
features. Constraints on an atmosphere from transmission spectroscopy are
not the same as constraints on an atmosphere at normal viewing geometry.
http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0509292
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