Optical phase curve of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b

Bibcode
2020A&A...637A..36B
DOI
10.1051/0004-6361/201936647
Bourrier, V.; Kitzmann, D.; Kuntzer, T.; Nascimbeni, V.; Lendl, M.; Lavie, B.; Hoeijmakers, H. J.; Pino, L.; Ehrenreich, D.; Heng, K.; Allart, R.; Cegla, H. M.; Dumusque, X.; Melo, C.; Astudillo-Defru, N.; Caldwell, D. A.; Cretignier, M.; Giles, H.; Henze, C. E.; Jenkins, J.; Lovis, C.; Murgas, F.; Pepe, F.; Ricker, G. R.; Rose, M. E.; Seager, S.; Segransan, D.; Suárez-Mascareño, A.; Udry, S.; Vanderspek, R.; Wyttenbach, A.
Bibliographical reference

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Advertised on:
5
2020
Journal
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Number of authors
31
IAC number of authors
2
Citations
65
Refereed citations
63
Description
We present the analysis of TESS optical photometry of WASP-121b, which reveals the phase curve of this transiting ultra-hot Jupiter. Its hotspot is located at the sub-stellar point, showing inefficient heat transport from the dayside (2870 ± 50 K) to the nightside (<2500 K at 3σ) at the altitudes probed by TESS. The TESS eclipse depth, measured at the shortest wavelength to date for WASP-121b, confirms the strong deviation from blackbody planetary emission. Our atmospheric retrieval on the complete emission spectrum supports the presence of a temperature inversion, which can be explained by the presence of VO and possibly TiO and FeH. The strong planetary emission at short wavelengths could arise from an H- continuum.

The reduced light curve of WASP-121, phase-folded at the planet orbital period and binned (Fig. 2) is available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/637/A36

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Exoplanets and Astrobiology
The search for life in the universe has been driven by recent discoveries of planets around other stars (known as exoplanets), becoming one of the most active fields in modern astrophysics. The growing number of new exoplanets discovered in recent years and the recent advance on the study of their atmospheres are not only providing new valuable
Enric
Pallé Bago
In progress
Type
Refereed
Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)
Techniques

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