Revealing exoplanet properties with high-resolution transmission spectroscopy

The characterization of exoplanets plays a major role in understanding their
origin and evolution. To date, more than 5000 exoplanets have been detected
and this number increases daily. A suitable method to study exoplanet
properties offers transmission spectroscopy, where a small fraction of the
starlight is absorbed by atoms and molecules in the atmosphere of the
exoplanet during the planetary transit, putting a fingerprint on top of the
stellar spectrum.  Especially hot giant planets, so-called hot and ultra-hot
Jupiters, are suitable targets for transmission spectroscopy, due to their
large scale heights and short orbital periods.
In this talk, I will give a basic introduction to exoplanets and focus on the
method of high-resolution transmission spectroscopy. I will show what has been
done at the AIP in recent years regarding the characterization of gas giant
planet atmospheres with datasets observed at the Large-Binocular-Telescope
with the PEPSI instrument. In particular, I will show how atmospheric
absorption lines can be used to constrain atmospheric wind properties of
exoplanets.

• Date:
  May 19, 2022, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  
  
• Location:

  Colloquium zoom room

  
  
• Contact:
  Rainer Arlt