High-resolution spectroscopy: A powerful tool for characterizing exoplanets and their atmospheres

Henriette Schwarz

University of California Santa Cruz

The characterization of an exoplanet atmosphere can reveal the chemical composition of the atmosphere, its reflective properties, the presence of condensates, its temperature structure, and possible rotation and global circulation. Those may be linked to the formation and evolutionary history of the planet, and are needed to understand its global climate. Ground-based high-dispersion spectroscopy has proven to be an effective method to probe the atmospheres of both transiting and non-transiting hot Jupiters, as well as young, wide-orbit gas giants discovered with direct imaging. With a sufficiently high spectral resolution, the molecular features are resolved into individual lines. This allows robust identification of the molecules through line matching with template spectra. Additional insight is gained from the shape of the spectral lines.

Date:	Thursday, 4 April 2019
Time:	11:30
Where:	Université de Montréal
	Pavillon Roger-Gaudry, Local D-460
Contact:	Björn Benneke