2012ApJ...760..140C -
Astrophys. J., 760, 140 (2012/December-1)
Re-evaluating WASP-12b: strong emission at 2.315 µm, deeper occultations, and an isothermal atmosphere.
CROSSFIELD I.J.M., BARMAN T., HANSEN B.M.S., TANAKA I. and KODAMA T.
Abstract (from CDS):
We revisit the atmospheric properties of the extremely hot Jupiter WASP-12b in light of several new developments. First, we present new narrowband (2.315 µm) secondary eclipse photometry, which exhibits a planet/star flux ratio of 0.45%±0.06%, corresponding to a brightness temperature of 3640±230 K; second, recent Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera and Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 observations; and third, a recently observed star only 1'' from WASP-12, which has diluted previous observations and which we further characterize here. We correct past WASP-12b eclipse measurements for the presence of this object, and we revisit the interpretation of WASP-12b's dilution-corrected emission spectrum. The resulting planetary emission spectrum is well approximated by a blackbody, and consequently our primary conclusion is that the planet's infrared photosphere is nearly isothermal. Thus, secondary eclipse spectroscopy is relatively ill suited to constrain WASP-12b's atmospheric abundances, and transmission spectroscopy may be necessary to achieve this goal.
Abstract Copyright:
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Journal keyword(s):
eclipses - infrared: planetary systems - stars: individual (WASP-12, Bergfors-6) - techniques: photometric - techniques: spectroscopic
Simbad objects:
10
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