Spitzer thermal phase curve of WASP-121 b

Aims. We analyse unpublished Spitzer observations of the thermal phase-curve of WASP-121 b, a benchmark ultra-hot Jupiter. Methods. We adopted the wavelet pixel-independent component analysis technique to remove challenging instrumental systematic effects in these datasets and we fit them simultaneously with parametric light-curve models. We also performed phase-curve retrievals to better understand the horizontal and vertical thermal structure of the planetary atmosphere. Results. We measured planetary brightness temperatures of $\sim$2700\,K (dayside) and $\sim$700--1100\,K (nightside), along with modest peak offsets of 5.9$^{\circ} \pm$1.6 (3.6\,$\mu$m) and 5.0$^{\circ}$$_{-3.1}^{+3.4}$ (4.5\,$\mu$m) after mid-eclipse. These results suggest inefficient heat redistribution in the atmosphere of WASP-121 b. The inferred atmospheric Bond albedo and circulation efficiency align well with observed trends for hot giant exoplanets. Interestingly, the measured peak offsets correspond to a westward hot spot, which has rarely been observed. We also report consistent transit depths at 3.6 and 4.5\,$\mu$m, along with updated geometric and orbital parameters. Finally, we compared our Spitzer results with previous measurements, including recent JWST observations. Conclusions. We extracted new information on the thermal properties and dynamics of an exoplanet atmosphere from an especially problematic dataset. This study probes the reliability of exoplanet phase-curve parameters obtained from Spitzer observations when state-of-the-art pipelines are adopted to remove the instrumental systematic effects. It demonstrates that Spitzer phase-curve observations provide a useful baseline for comparison with JWST observations, and shows the increase in parameters precision achieved with the newer telescope.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figure

Thermal emission from the Earth-sized exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b using JWST

The TRAPPIST-1 system is remarkable for its seven planets that are similar in size, mass, density, and stellar heating to the rocky planets Venus, Earth, and Mars in our own Solar System (Gillon et al. 2017). All TRAPPIST-1 planets have been observed with the transmission spectroscopy technique using the Hubble or Spitzer Space Telescopes, but no atmospheric features have been detected or strongly constrained (Ducrot et al. 2018; de Wit et al. 2018; Zhang et al. 2018; Garcia et al. 2022). TRAPPIST-1 b is the closest planet to the system's M dwarf star, and it receives 4 times as much irradiation as Earth receives from the Sun. This relatively large amount of stellar heating suggests that its thermal emission may be measurable. Here we present photometric secondary eclipse observations of the Earth-sized TRAPPIST-1 b exoplanet using the F1500W filter of the MIRI instrument on JWST. We detect the secondary eclipse in each of five separate observations with 8.7-sigma confidence when all data are combined. These measurements are most consistent with the re-radiation of the TRAPPIST-1 star's incident flux from only the dayside hemisphere of the planet. The most straightforward interpretation is that there is little or no planetary atmosphere redistributing radiation from the host star and also no detectable atmospheric absorption from carbon dioxide (CO$_2$) or other species.Comment: Submitted to Natur

In search of gravity mode signatures in main sequence solar-type stars observed by Kepler

Gravity modes (g modes), mixed gravito-acoustic modes (mixed modes), and gravito-inertial modes (gi modes) possess unmatched properties as probes for stars with radiative interiors. The structural and dynamical constraints that they are able to provide cannot be accessed by other means. While they provide precious insights into the internal dynamics of evolved stars as well as massive and intermediate-mass stars, their non-detection in main sequence (MS) solar-type stars make them a crucial missing piece in our understanding of angular momentum transport in radiative zones and stellar rotational evolution. In this work, we aim to apply certain analysis tools originally developed for helioseismology in order to look for g-mode signatures in MS solar-type stars. We select a sample of the 34 most promising MS solar-type stars with Kepler four-year long photometric time series. All these stars are well-characterised late F-type stars with thin convective envelopes, fast convective flows, and stochastically excited acoustic modes (p modes). For each star, we compute the background noise level of the Fourier power spectrum to identify significant peaks at low frequency. After successfully detecting individual peaks in 12 targets, we further analyse four of them and observe distinct patterns of surrounding peaks with a low probability of being noise artifacts. Comparisons with the predictions from reference models suggest that these patterns are compatible with the presence of non-asymptotic low-order pure g modes, pure p modes, and mixed modes. Given their sensitivity to both the convective core interface stratification and the coupling between p- and g-mode resonant cavities, such modes are able to provide strong constraints on the structure and evolutionary states of the related targets. [abridged]Comment: 19 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Nightside clouds and disequilibrium chemistry on the hot Jupiter WASP-43b

Hot Jupiters are among the best-studied exoplanets, but it is still poorly understood how their chemical composition and cloud properties vary with longitude. Theoretical models predict that clouds may condense on the nightside and that molecular abundances can be driven out of equilibrium by zonal winds. Here we report a phase-resolved emission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-43b measured from 5 μm to 12 μm with the JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument. The spectra reveal a large day–night temperature contrast (with average brightness temperatures of 1,524 ± 35 K and 863 ± 23 K, respectively) and evidence for water absorption at all orbital phases. Comparisons with three-dimensional atmospheric models show that both the phase-curve shape and emission spectra strongly suggest the presence of nightside clouds that become optically thick to thermal emission at pressures greater than ~100 mbar. The dayside is consistent with a cloudless atmosphere above the mid-infrared photosphere. Contrary to expectations from equilibrium chemistry but consistent with disequilibrium kinetics models, methane is not detected on the nightside (2σ upper limit of 1–6 ppm, depending on model assumptions). Our results provide strong evidence that the atmosphere of WASP-43b is shaped by disequilibrium processes and provide new insights into the properties of the planet’s nightside clouds. However, the remaining discrepancies between our observations and our predictive atmospheric models emphasize the importance of further exploring the effects of clouds and disequilibrium chemistry in numerical models.Peer reviewe

Nightside clouds and disequilibrium chemistry on the hot Jupiter WASP-43b

Hot Jupiters are among the best-studied exoplanets, but it is still poorly understood how their chemical composition and cloud properties vary with longitude. Theoretical models predict that clouds may condense on the nightside and that molecular abundances can be driven out of equilibrium by zonal winds. Here we report a phase-resolved emission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-43b measured from 5-12 μm with JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). The spectra reveal a large day-night temperature contrast (with average brightness temperatures of 1524±35 and 863±23 Kelvin, respectively) and evidence for water absorption at all orbital phases. Comparisons with three-dimensional atmospheric models show that both the phase curve shape and emission spectra strongly suggest the presence of nightside clouds which become optically thick to thermal emission at pressures greater than ~100 mbar. The dayside is consistent with a cloudless atmosphere above the mid-infrared photosphere. Contrary to expectations from equilibrium chemistry but consistent with disequilibrium kinetics models, methane is not detected on the nightside (2σ upper limit of 1-6 parts per million, depending on model assumptions)

L'atmosphère des exoplanètes avec le James Webb Space Telescope

My thesis is devoted to the characterisation of exoplanet atmospheres with the newly-operating James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres is being revolutionised by the observational capabilities of such an observatory. The scientific outcomes will reach our scientific community and the general public, putting into perspective our knowledge of our own Solar System, the only system that is known to host life. The first part of this manuscript is devoted to an introduction that includes a state-of-the-art review of exoplanet atmospheres characterisation in terms of atomic and molecular composition, structure and dynamics. In this introduction, we focus on transiting exoplanets (when the planet passes in front of or behind its host star in the telescope's line of sight). We provide a description of this observational method and key results that have been obtained over the past two decades. The second part of this manuscript focuses on the molecular composition predictions with the JWST Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and its Low-Resolution Spectrometer (LRS) that is meant to carry out atmospheric spectroscopy in an uncharted wavelength range. Here, we present realistic simulations of transiting exoplanets I developed during my thesis, with the MIRI LRS instrument that include various instrumental systematics likely to alter the atmospheric features we are meant to detect in our data [Dyrek+, sub., 2023, Morello, Dyrek+, 2022]. Our main objective is to design a comprehensive simulation tool that enables the community to build robust data reduction methods and to predict molecular detections. The third part of this manuscript is dedicated to the characterisation of the in-flight post-commissioning performances of the MIRI LRS. This work is based on the first exoplanetary transit observed with MIRI of the Super-Earth L168-9b, chosen to be a calibration target. My work focuses on identifying in-flight instrumental systematics that undermine observations' stability and more generally, the study of transiting exoplanets [Dyrek+, sub., 2023]. The final part of this manuscript is devoted to the scientific analysis of photometric and spectroscopic observations of both gas giants and temperate rocky exoplanet atmospheres. Here, I present my contribution on data reduction and analysis to the collaborative work we conducted as part of the Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) and the Early Release Science (ERS) consortia. In particular, our work on the super-Neptune WASP-107b led to the first mid-infrared detection of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and silicate clouds [Dyrek+, sub., 2023b]. In addition, we conducted the first detection of the thermal emission of the rocky temperate exoplanet TRAPPIST-1b. In this work, we have constrained its brightness temperature, revealing key insights in the presence or not of an atmosphere [Greene+, 2023]. The final chapter of my thesis is dedicated to the prospects offered by JWST and the future Ariel mission, as these two telescopes will provide game-changing observations over the next decades.Ma thèse est consacrée à l'étude des atmosphères d'exoplanètes avec le télescope spatial James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). L'étude et la caractérisation d'atmosphères d'exoplanètes représente aujourd'hui un enjeu majeur au sein de la communauté scientifique et au-delà, puisqu'il s'agit de mettre en perspective tous ces mondes découverts au cours des trois dernières décennies et notre propre Système solaire, seul hôte connu de la vie à ce jour. La première partie de ce manuscrit est consacrée à une introduction qui présente l'état de l'art de notre connaissance des atmosphères d'exoplanètes en termes de composition atomique et moléculaire, de structure et de dynamique. Cette introduction se concentre sur l'étude des atmosphères d'exoplanètes dites transitantes (lorsque la planète passe devant ou derrière son étoile dans l'axe de visée des télescopes) et fournit une description de cette méthode observationnelle ainsi que des défis associés. La deuxième partie de ce manuscrit s'intéresse à l'élaboration de simulations d'observations d'atmosphères d'exoplanètes à l'aide du Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) du JWST (à l'époque encore en attente de son lancement) et de son spectromètre basse résolution (LRS). Mon objectif principal est la conception d'un outil de simulation complet et robuste qui permette à la communauté de valider les méthodes de réduction de données et de prédire les détections moléculaires [Dyrek+, sub., 2023, Morello, Dyrek+, 2022]. La troisième partie de ce manuscrit est dédiée à l'étude des performances en vol du LRS de MIRI après le lancement du JWST, le jour de Noël 2021. En effet, l'arrivée des premières données du JWST marque le début d'une étape cruciale de ma thèse. En particulier, je m'appuie sur le premier transit exoplanétaire observé par MIRI, celui de la Super-Terre L168-9b, choisie comme cible pour l'étude des performances. A partir de ces données, je me suis concentrée sur l'identification de variations instrumentales infimes qui pourraient porter atteinte à la stabilité temporelle des observations. De fait, je discute des axes d'améliorations des méthodes de réduction de données dans le cadre de l'étude d'exoplanètes en transit [Dyrek+, sub., 2023]. La dernière partie de ce manuscrit est consacrée à l'analyse scientifique des courbes de lumières photométriques et spectroscopiques d'atmosphères d'exoplanètes, des géantes gazeuses aux rocheuses tempérées. Je présente mes travaux collaboratifs dans le cadre du Temps Garanti d'Observation (GTO) et de l'Early Release Science (ERS) du JWST pour lesquels j'ai mené la réduction et l'analyse des données. En particulier, je m'intéresse à la super-Neptune WASP-107b dont l'analyse de données a conduit notamment à la première détection de dioxyde soufre (SO2) en infrarouge moyen et à la première détection de nuages de silicates [Dyrek+, sub., 2023b]. Enfin, je présente la première détection de l'émission thermique d'une exoplanète rocheuse et tempérée, TRAPPIST-1b, pour laquelle nous avons contraint la température de brillance qui indique l'absence d'une atmosphère dense [Greene +, 2023]. Le chapitre final est dédié à l'ensemble des perspectives ouvertes par la révolution observationnelle du JWST et de la future mission dédiée aux exoplanètes : Ariel

L'atmosphère des exoplanètes avec le James Webb Space Telescope

My thesis is devoted to the characterisation of exoplanet atmospheres with the newly-operating James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres is being revolutionised by the observational capabilities of such an observatory. The scientific outcomes will reach our scientific community and the general public, putting into perspective our knowledge of our own Solar System, the only system that is known to host life. The first part of this manuscript is devoted to an introduction that includes a state-of-the-art review of exoplanet atmospheres characterisation in terms of atomic and molecular composition, structure and dynamics. In this introduction, we focus on transiting exoplanets (when the planet passes in front of or behind its host star in the telescope's line of sight). We provide a description of this observational method and key results that have been obtained over the past two decades. The second part of this manuscript focuses on the molecular composition predictions with the JWST Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and its Low-Resolution Spectrometer (LRS) that is meant to carry out atmospheric spectroscopy in an uncharted wavelength range. Here, we present realistic simulations of transiting exoplanets I developed during my thesis, with the MIRI LRS instrument that include various instrumental systematics likely to alter the atmospheric features we are meant to detect in our data [Dyrek+, sub., 2023, Morello, Dyrek+, 2022]. Our main objective is to design a comprehensive simulation tool that enables the community to build robust data reduction methods and to predict molecular detections. The third part of this manuscript is dedicated to the characterisation of the in-flight post-commissioning performances of the MIRI LRS. This work is based on the first exoplanetary transit observed with MIRI of the Super-Earth L168-9b, chosen to be a calibration target. My work focuses on identifying in-flight instrumental systematics that undermine observations' stability and more generally, the study of transiting exoplanets [Dyrek+, sub., 2023]. The final part of this manuscript is devoted to the scientific analysis of photometric and spectroscopic observations of both gas giants and temperate rocky exoplanet atmospheres. Here, I present my contribution on data reduction and analysis to the collaborative work we conducted as part of the Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) and the Early Release Science (ERS) consortia. In particular, our work on the super-Neptune WASP-107b led to the first mid-infrared detection of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and silicate clouds [Dyrek+, sub., 2023b]. In addition, we conducted the first detection of the thermal emission of the rocky temperate exoplanet TRAPPIST-1b. In this work, we have constrained its brightness temperature, revealing key insights in the presence or not of an atmosphere [Greene+, 2023]. The final chapter of my thesis is dedicated to the prospects offered by JWST and the future Ariel mission, as these two telescopes will provide game-changing observations over the next decades.Ma thèse est consacrée à l'étude des atmosphères d'exoplanètes avec le télescope spatial James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). L'étude et la caractérisation d'atmosphères d'exoplanètes représente aujourd'hui un enjeu majeur au sein de la communauté scientifique et au-delà, puisqu'il s'agit de mettre en perspective tous ces mondes découverts au cours des trois dernières décennies et notre propre Système solaire, seul hôte connu de la vie à ce jour. La première partie de ce manuscrit est consacrée à une introduction qui présente l'état de l'art de notre connaissance des atmosphères d'exoplanètes en termes de composition atomique et moléculaire, de structure et de dynamique. Cette introduction se concentre sur l'étude des atmosphères d'exoplanètes dites transitantes (lorsque la planète passe devant ou derrière son étoile dans l'axe de visée des télescopes) et fournit une description de cette méthode observationnelle ainsi que des défis associés. La deuxième partie de ce manuscrit s'intéresse à l'élaboration de simulations d'observations d'atmosphères d'exoplanètes à l'aide du Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) du JWST (à l'époque encore en attente de son lancement) et de son spectromètre basse résolution (LRS). Mon objectif principal est la conception d'un outil de simulation complet et robuste qui permette à la communauté de valider les méthodes de réduction de données et de prédire les détections moléculaires [Dyrek+, sub., 2023, Morello, Dyrek+, 2022]. La troisième partie de ce manuscrit est dédiée à l'étude des performances en vol du LRS de MIRI après le lancement du JWST, le jour de Noël 2021. En effet, l'arrivée des premières données du JWST marque le début d'une étape cruciale de ma thèse. En particulier, je m'appuie sur le premier transit exoplanétaire observé par MIRI, celui de la Super-Terre L168-9b, choisie comme cible pour l'étude des performances. A partir de ces données, je me suis concentrée sur l'identification de variations instrumentales infimes qui pourraient porter atteinte à la stabilité temporelle des observations. De fait, je discute des axes d'améliorations des méthodes de réduction de données dans le cadre de l'étude d'exoplanètes en transit [Dyrek+, sub., 2023]. La dernière partie de ce manuscrit est consacrée à l'analyse scientifique des courbes de lumières photométriques et spectroscopiques d'atmosphères d'exoplanètes, des géantes gazeuses aux rocheuses tempérées. Je présente mes travaux collaboratifs dans le cadre du Temps Garanti d'Observation (GTO) et de l'Early Release Science (ERS) du JWST pour lesquels j'ai mené la réduction et l'analyse des données. En particulier, je m'intéresse à la super-Neptune WASP-107b dont l'analyse de données a conduit notamment à la première détection de dioxyde soufre (SO2) en infrarouge moyen et à la première détection de nuages de silicates [Dyrek+, sub., 2023b]. Enfin, je présente la première détection de l'émission thermique d'une exoplanète rocheuse et tempérée, TRAPPIST-1b, pour laquelle nous avons contraint la température de brillance qui indique l'absence d'une atmosphère dense [Greene +, 2023]. Le chapitre final est dédié à l'ensemble des perspectives ouvertes par la révolution observationnelle du JWST et de la future mission dédiée aux exoplanètes : Ariel

A reflective, metal-rich atmosphere for GJ 1214b from its JWST phase curve

There are no planets intermediate in size between Earth and Neptune in our Solar System, yet these objects are found around a substantial fraction of other stars. Population statistics show that close-in planets in this size range bifurcate into two classes based on their radii. It is hypothesized that the group with larger radii (referred to as "sub-Neptunes") is distinguished by having hydrogen-dominated atmospheres that are a few percent of the total mass of the planets. GJ 1214b is an archetype sub-Neptune that has been observed extensively using transmission spectroscopy to test this hypothesis. However, the measured spectra are featureless, and thus inconclusive, due to the presence of high-altitude aerosols in the planet's atmosphere. Here we report a spectroscopic thermal phase curve of GJ 1214b obtained with JWST in the mid-infrared. The dayside and nightside spectra (average brightness temperatures of 553 $\pm$ 9 and 437 $\pm$ 19 K, respectively) each show >3$\sigma$ evidence of absorption features, with H$_2$O as the most likely cause in both. The measured global thermal emission implies that GJ 1214b's Bond albedo is 0.51 $\pm$ 0.06. Comparison between the spectroscopic phase curve data and three-dimensional models of GJ 1214b reveal a planet with a high metallicity atmosphere blanketed by a thick and highly reflective layer of clouds or haze.Comment: Published online in Nature on May 10, 202