Fakultät für Physik und Astronomie
STEPHEN PHILLIPS hostreviews.co.uk / UNSPLASH

Are exoplanet atmospheres a reliable tracer of exoplanet formation? Observing aligned vs misaligned hot Jupiters as a testbed

James Kirk , Imperial

A primary objective of exoplanet atmosphere characterisation is to learn about planet formation and evolution. However, this is challenged by the uncertainties and degeneracies inherent to protoplanetary disc composition, planet formation and planetary evolution. To determine whether atmospheric composition is actually a reliable tracer of formation history, we are undertaking a new survey with JWST to compare the compositions of aligned (low obliquity) and misaligned (high obliquity) hot Jupiters for which we are confident they have undergone different evolutionary pathways. It is believed that aligned planets are the outcome of migration through a protoplanetary disc, while misaligned ones arise from high-eccentricity migration after disc dispersal. This dichotomy leads to differences in the material they accrete during their evolution, which in turn should lead to differences in their atmospheric compositions. I will give an overview of our survey, present predictions from disc chemistry models, and share the first transmission spectra.

Königstuhl Colloquium
26 Apr 2024, 11:00
Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Level 3 Lecture Hall (301)

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