Baroclinic instability on hot extrasolar planets

Magnetically Controlled Circulation on Hot Extrasolar Planets

Through the process of thermal ionization, intense stellar irradiation renders Hot Jupiter atmospheres electrically conductive. Simultaneously, lateral variability in the irradiation drives the global circulation with peak wind speeds of order ∼ km/s. In turn, the interactions between the atmospheric flows and the background magnetic field give rise to Lorentz forces that can act to perturb the...

Hot nights on extrasolar planets: mid-infrared phase variations of hot Jupiters

We present results from Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the mid-infrared phase variations of three short-period extrasolar planetary systems: HD 209458, HD 179949 and 51 Peg.We gathered Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) images in multiple wavebands (3.6 μm or 4.5 μm, and 8 μm) at eight phases of each planet’s orbit. We find the uncertainty in relative photometry from one epoch to the next to...

Hot Nights on Extrasolar Planets: Mid-IR Phase Variations of Hot Jupiters

We present results from Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the mid-infrared phase variations of three short-period extrasolar planetary systems: HD 209458, HD 179949 and 51 Peg.We gathered Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) images in multiple wavebands (3.6 μm or 4.5 μm, and 8 μm) at eight phases of each planet’s orbit. We find the uncertainty in relative photometry from one epoch to the next to...

Chemical kinetics on extrasolar planets.

Chemical kinetics plays an important role in controlling the atmospheric composition of all planetary atmospheres, including those of extrasolar planets. For the hottest exoplanets, the composition can closely follow thermochemical-equilibrium predictions, at least in the visible and infrared photosphere at dayside (eclipse) conditions. However, for atmospheric temperatures approximately <2000K...

Magnetospheric Emissions from Extrasolar Planets Magnetospheric Emission from Extrasolar Planets