A spatial map of the atmospheric limb of a hot Jupiter

IF 15.2 1区物理与天体物理 Q1 ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

Nature Astronomy Pub Date : 2026-10-14 DOI:10.1038/s41550-026-02986-4

Lili Alderson,Hannah R. Wakeford,David Grant,Nikole K. Lewis,Avinash Verma,Jayesh Goyal,Mark Hammond,Daniel Valentine,Natalie H. Allen,Ana Glidden,Amélie Gressier,Jingcheng Huang,Maura Lally,Dana R. Louie,Jacob Lustig-Yaeger,Cathal Maguire,Elijah Mullens,Kristin S. Sotzen,Jeff A. Valenti,Roeland P. van der Marel,Tiffany Kataria

{"title":"A spatial map of the atmospheric limb of a hot Jupiter","authors":"Lili Alderson,Hannah R. Wakeford,David Grant,Nikole K. Lewis,Avinash Verma,Jayesh Goyal,Mark Hammond,Daniel Valentine,Natalie H. Allen,Ana Glidden,Amélie Gressier,Jingcheng Huang,Maura Lally,Dana R. Louie,Jacob Lustig-Yaeger,Cathal Maguire,Elijah Mullens,Kristin S. Sotzen,Jeff A. Valenti,Roeland P. van der Marel,Tiffany Kataria","doi":"10.1038/s41550-026-02986-4","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Planets are inherently three-dimensional objects shaped by their thermal structure and dynamics. Observations of transiting exoplanets have begun to uncover this three-dimensional nature, with JWST measuring their dayside atmosphere structure with eclipse mapping and exploring spectroscopic asymmetries in the limbs of planets during transit. Here we apply the novel transmission strings mapping method to the hot Jupiter WASP-17 b. With this method, we are not only able to extract hemispheric limb asymmetries from east-to-west, but can also map equator-to-pole variations around the transmitting atmosphere as a function of angle, spanning 0.6–12 μm. We find a clear transition in the thermal scale height around the limb of the atmosphere, with an approximately 650 K temperature difference between the morning ( $$85{8}_{-233}^{+434}\\,{\\mathrm{K}}$$ 85 8 − 233 + 434 K ) and evening $$1{,}52{2}_{-114}^{+116}\\,{\\mathrm{K}}$$ 1 , 52 2 − 114 + 116 K ). These results are consistent with both nightside emission and dayside eclipse mapping measurements, and represent a fully comprehensive set of observations for a transiting exoplanet. We are also able to constrain the abundances of H 2 O and CO 2 to constant values around the limb, providing observational constraints for results from global circulation models. The transmission string technique, combined with the outstanding observability of WASP-17 b, pushes the study of exoplanet atmospheres further into a three-dimensional understanding of hot Jupiter dynamics and chemistry.","PeriodicalId":18778,"journal":{"name":"Nature Astronomy","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.2000,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Nature Astronomy","FirstCategoryId":"101","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-026-02986-4","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract Planets are inherently three-dimensional objects shaped by their thermal structure and dynamics. Observations of transiting exoplanets have begun to uncover this three-dimensional nature, with JWST measuring their dayside atmosphere structure with eclipse mapping and exploring spectroscopic asymmetries in the limbs of planets during transit. Here we apply the novel transmission strings mapping method to the hot Jupiter WASP-17 b. With this method, we are not only able to extract hemispheric limb asymmetries from east-to-west, but can also map equator-to-pole variations around the transmitting atmosphere as a function of angle, spanning 0.6–12 μm. We find a clear transition in the thermal scale height around the limb of the atmosphere, with an approximately 650 K temperature difference between the morning ( $$85{8}_{-233}^{+434}\,{\mathrm{K}}$$ 85 8 − 233 + 434 K ) and evening $$1{,}52{2}_{-114}^{+116}\,{\mathrm{K}}$$ 1 , 52 2 − 114 + 116 K ). These results are consistent with both nightside emission and dayside eclipse mapping measurements, and represent a fully comprehensive set of observations for a transiting exoplanet. We are also able to constrain the abundances of H 2 O and CO 2 to constant values around the limb, providing observational constraints for results from global circulation models. The transmission string technique, combined with the outstanding observability of WASP-17 b, pushes the study of exoplanet atmospheres further into a three-dimensional understanding of hot Jupiter dynamics and chemistry.

查看原文本刊更多论文

热木星大气边缘的空间图

行星本质上是由其热结构和动力学形成的三维物体。凌日系外行星的观测已经开始揭示这种三维性质，JWST通过日食测绘测量了它们的日面大气结构，并探索了凌日期间行星分支的光谱不对称性。本文将新的透射弦映射方法应用于热木星wasp - 17b。利用该方法，我们不仅能够从东到西提取半球边缘的不对称，而且还可以绘制出发射大气周围赤道到极点的变化作为角度的函数，范围为0.6-12 μm。我们发现在大气边缘附近的热尺度高度有一个明显的转变，早晨（$$85{8}_{-233}^{+434}\,{\mathrm{K}}$$ 85 8−233 + 434 K）和晚上（$$1{,}52{2}_{-114}^{+116}\,{\mathrm{K}}$$ 1, 52 2−114 + 116 K）之间的温差约为650 K。这些结果与夜侧发射和日侧日食测绘测量结果一致，并且代表了对凌日系外行星的全面观测。我们还能够将边缘附近的h2o和co2丰度限制在恒定值，为全球环流模式的结果提供观测约束。传输弦技术，结合wasp - 17b出色的可观测性，将系外行星大气的研究进一步推向对热木星动力学和化学的三维理解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Nature Astronomy Physics and Astronomy-Astronomy and Astrophysics

CiteScore

19.50

自引率

2.80%

发文量

252

期刊介绍： Nature Astronomy, the oldest science, has played a significant role in the history of Nature. Throughout the years, pioneering discoveries such as the first quasar, exoplanet, and understanding of spiral nebulae have been reported in the journal. With the introduction of Nature Astronomy, the field now receives expanded coverage, welcoming research in astronomy, astrophysics, and planetary science. The primary objective is to encourage closer collaboration among researchers in these related areas. Similar to other journals under the Nature brand, Nature Astronomy boasts a devoted team of professional editors, ensuring fairness and rigorous peer-review processes. The journal maintains high standards in copy-editing and production, ensuring timely publication and editorial independence. In addition to original research, Nature Astronomy publishes a wide range of content, including Comments, Reviews, News and Views, Features, and Correspondence. This diverse collection covers various disciplines within astronomy and includes contributions from a diverse range of voices.