Exoplanet Atmospheres and Photochemistry

Abstract

Over 150 extrasolar planets are known to orbit sun-like stars. A growing number of them (9 to date) are transiting “hot Jupiters” whose physical characteristics can be measured. Atmospheres of two of these planets have already been detected. We summarize the atmosphere detections and useful upper limits, focusing on the MOST albedo upper limit and II exosphere detection for IID 209458b as the most relevant for photochemical models. We describe our photochemical model for hot Jupiters and present a summary explanation of the main results: a low gas-phase abundance of hydrocarbons; an absence of hydrocarbon hazes; and a large reservoir of II atoms in the upper atmospheres of hot Jupiters. We conclude by relating these model results to the relevant observational data.