SpeCT: A state-of-the-art tool to calculate correlated-k tables and continua of CO2-H2O-N2 gas mixtures

Abstract

A key challenge in modeling (exo)planetary atmospheres lies in generating extensive opacity datasets that cover the wide variety of possible atmospheric composition, pressure, and temperature conditions. This critical step requires specific knowledge and can be considerably time-consuming. To circumvent this issue, most available codes approximate the total opacity by summing the contributions of individual molecular species during the radiative transfer calculation. This approach neglects inter-species interactions, which can be an issue for precisely estimating the climate of planets. To produce accurate opacity data, such as correlated-k tables, χ factor corrections of the far wings of the line profile are required. We propose an update of the χ factors of CO_{2 absorption lines that are relevant for terrestrial planets (pure CO2, CO2-N2, and CO2-H2O). These new factors are already implemented in an original user-friendly open-source tool, named SpeCT, designed to calculate high-resolution spectra. This tool produces correlated-k tables for mixtures made of H2O, CO2, and N2, and accounts for inter-species broadening. In order to facilitate future updates of these χ factors, we also provide a review of all the relevant laboratory measurements available in the literature for the considered mixtures. Finally, we provide in this work eight different correlated-k tables and continua for pure CO2, CO2-N2, CO2-H2O, and CO2-H2O-N2 mixtures based on the MT_CKD formalism (for H2O), and calculated using SpeCT. These opacity data can be used to study various planets and atmospheric conditions, such as Earth’s paleo-climates, Mars, Venus, Magma ocean exoplanets, and telluric exoplanets.}