High-resolution confirmation of an extended helium atmosphere around WASP-107b

Context. Probing the evaporation of exoplanet atmospheres is key to understanding the formation and evolution of exoplanetary systems. The main tracer of evaporation in the UV is the Lyman-α transition, which can reveal extended exospheres of neutral hydrogen. Recently, the near-infrared (NIR) metastable helium triplet (10 833 Å) revealed extended thermospheres in several exoplanets. This opens a new window into evaporation. Aims. We aim at spectrally resolving the first helium absorption signature detected in the warm Saturn WASP-107b with the Wide Filed Camera 3 on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST/WFC3). Methods. We obtained one transit of WASP-107b with CARMENES installed on the 3.5 m telescope at the Calar Alto observatory. Results. We detect an excess helium absorption signature of 5.54 ± 0.27% (20σ) in the planet rest frame during the transit. The detection is in agreement with the previous detection achieved with HST/WFC3. The signature shows an excess absorption in the blue part of the lines, suggesting that He I atoms are escaping from the atmosphere of WASP-107b. We interpret the time-series absorption spectra using the 3D EVE code. Our observations can be explained by combining an extended thermosphere that fills half of the Roche lobe and a large exospheric tail sustained by an escape rate of metastable helium of about 106 g s−1. In this scenario, however, the upper atmosphere needs to be subjected to a reduced photoionisation and radiation pressure from the star for the model to match the observations. Conclusions. We confirm the presence of helium in the atmosphere of WASP-107b at high confidence. The helium feature is detected from space and from the ground. The ground-based high-resolution signal brings detailed information about the spatial and dynamical structure of the upper atmosphere, and simulations suggest that the He I signature of WASP-107b probes both its thermosphere and exosphere, establishing this signature as a robust probe of exoplanetary upper atmospheres. Surveys with NIR high-resolution spectrographs (e.g. CARMENES, the Spectromètre infrarouge (SPIRou), or the Near-Infrared Planet Searcher (NIRPS)) will deliver a statistical understanding of exoplanet thermospheres and exospheres through the helium triplet.

Download Full-text

Detection of He I λ10830 Å absorption on HD 189733 b with CARMENES high-resolution transmission spectroscopy

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201833694 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 620 ◽

pp. A97 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

M. Salz ◽

S. Czesla ◽

P. C. Schneider ◽

E. Nagel ◽

J. H. M. M. Schmitt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Rest Frame ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Radial Velocities ◽

Helium Atmosphere ◽

Absorption Signal ◽

The Mean ◽

Third Line ◽

Calar Alto ◽

Absorption Level

We present three transit observations of HD 189733 b obtained with the high-resolution spectrograph CARMENES at Calar Alto. A strong absorption signal is detected in the near-infrared He I triplet at 10830 Å in all three transits. During mid-transit, the mean absorption level is 0.88 ± 0.04% measured in a ±10 km s−1 range at a net blueshift of − 3.5 ± 0.4 km s−1 (10829.84–10830.57 Å). The absorption signal exhibits radial velocities of + 6.5 ± 3.1 km s−1 and − 12.6 ± 1.0 km s−1 during ingress and egress, respectively; all radial velocities are measured in the planetary rest frame. We show that stellar activity related pseudo-signals interfere with the planetary atmospheric absorption signal. They could contribute as much as 80% of the observed signal and might also affect the observed radial velocity signature, but pseudo-signals are very unlikely to explain the entire signal. The observed line ratio between the two unresolved and the third line of the He I triplet is 2.8 ± 0.2, which strongly deviates from the value expected for an optically thin atmospheres. When interpreted in terms of absorption in the planetary atmosphere, this favors a compact helium atmosphere with an extent of only 0.2 planetary radii and a substantial column density on the order of 4 × 1012 cm−2. The observed radial velocities can be understood either in terms of atmospheric circulation with equatorial superrotation or as a sign of an asymmetric atmospheric component of evaporating material. We detect no clear signature of ongoing evaporation, like pre- or post-transit absorption, which could indicate material beyond the planetary Roche lobe, or radial velocities in excess of the escape velocity. These findings do not contradict planetary evaporation, but only show that the detected helium absorption in HD 189733 b does not trace the atmospheric layers that show pronounced escape signatures.

Download Full-text

The GAPS programme at TNG

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/202037644 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 639 ◽

pp. A49 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

G. Guilluy ◽

V. Andretta ◽

F. Borsa ◽

P. Giacobbe ◽

A. Sozzetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Magnetic Activity ◽

Stellar Activity ◽

Absorption Signal ◽

Metastable Helium ◽

Transmission Spectroscopy ◽

Width Measurements ◽

In Transit ◽

The Impact

Context. Exoplanets orbiting very close to their parent star are strongly irradiated. This can lead the upper atmospheric layers to expand and evaporate into space. The metastable helium (He I) triplet at 1083.3 nm has recently been shown to be a powerful diagnostic to probe extended and escaping exoplanetary atmospheres. Aims. We perform high-resolution transmission spectroscopy of the transiting hot Jupiter HD 189733 b with the GIARPS (GIANO-B + HARPS-N) observing mode of the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, taking advantage of the simultaneous optical+near infrared spectral coverage to detect He I in the planet’s extended atmosphere and to gauge the impact of stellar magnetic activity on the planetary absorption signal. Methods. Observations were performed during five transit events of HD 189733 b. By comparison of the in-transit and out-of-transit GIANO-B observations, we computed high-resolution transmission spectra. We then used them to perform equivalent width measurements and carry out light-curves analyses in order to consistently gauge the excess in-transit absorption in correspondence with the He I triplet. Results. We spectrally resolve the He I triplet and detect an absorption signal during all five transits. The mean in-transit absorption depth amounts to 0.75 ± 0.03% (25σ) in the core of the strongest helium triplet component. We detect night-to-night variations in the He I absorption signal likely due to the transit events occurring in the presence of stellar surface inhomogeneities. We evaluate the impact of stellar-activity pseudo-signals on the true planetary absorption using a comparative analysis of the He I 1083.3 nm (in the near-infrared) and the Hα (in the visible) lines. Using a 3D atmospheric code, we interpret the time series of the He I absorption lines in the three nights not affected by stellar contamination, which exhibit a mean in-transit absorption depth of 0.77 ± 0.04% (19σ) in full agreement with the one derived from the full dataset. In agreement with previous results, our simulations suggest that the helium layers only fill part of the Roche lobe. Observations can be explained with a thermosphere heated to ~12 000 K, expanding up to ~1.2 planetary radii, and losing ~1 g s−1 of metastable helium. Conclusions. Our results reinforce the importance of simultaneous optical plus near infrared monitoring when performing high-resolution transmission spectroscopy of the extended and escaping atmospheres of hot planets in the presence of stellar activity.

Download Full-text

An Atmospheric Origin for HCN-Derived Polymers on Titan

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9060965 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 965

Author(s):

Zoé Perrin ◽

Nathalie Carrasco ◽

Audrey Chatain ◽

Lora Jovanovic ◽

Ludovic Vettier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Gas Phase ◽

Formation Process ◽

Upper Atmosphere ◽

Gas Mixture ◽

Space Probe ◽

Atmospheric Haze ◽

Formation And Evolution ◽

Haze Formation

Titan’s haze is strongly suspected to be an HCN-derived polymer, but despite the first in situ measurements by the ESA-Huygens space probe, its chemical composition and formation process remain largely unknown. To investigate this question, we simulated the atmospheric haze formation process, experimentally. We synthesized analogues of Titan’s haze, named Titan tholins, in an irradiated N2–CH4 gas mixture, mimicking Titan’s upper atmosphere chemistry. HCN was monitored in situ in the gas phase simultaneously with the formation and evolution of the haze particles. We show that HCN is produced as long as the particles are absent, and is then progressively consumed when the particles appear and grow. This work highlights HCN as an effective precursor of Titan’s haze and confirms the HCN-derived polymer nature of the haze.

Download Full-text