Phase curves of hot Jupiters: clear or cloudy atmospheres?
Brett Morris
Research Scientist at STScl

Optical phase curves of exoplanets can constrain properties of planetary atmospheres, and the amplitudes and shapes of reflected light phase curves are functions of fundamental properties of the photosphere or scattering surface. However, reflected light phase curves of hot exoplanet atmospheres are contaminated by thermal emission and stellar artifacts. We devise a Bayesian inference framework for optical phase curves which includes flux contributions from reflected light from a potentially inhomogeneous atmosphere, thermal emission, and stellar rotation. We apply this framework to the highly precise Kepler observations of five hot Jupiters to assess atmospheric homogeneity and time-variability. We also investigate the scattering properties which constrain the likely condensates in inhomogeneous atmospheres.

Date:	Jeudi, le 6 avril 2023
Heure:	11:30
Lieu:	Université de Montréal
	Campus MIL salle A3541