The cold, the hot, and the puffy. Atmospheric lessons from three transiting exoplanets

当一颗行星从它的星星前面经过或从地球上看被它的恒星遮住时，可以在凌日和日食事件中探测和研究系外行星。这些事件提供了有关系外行星大气的关键信息，可用于测量行星温度，大气成分，热结构，并检测云或雾。哈勃太空望远镜和10.4米GTC的两个大型项目正在进行中，由Sing博士领导，对热木星系外行星进行大规模大气光谱调查，这些系外行星是在其母星附近发现的气体巨行星。对于这个项目，这些数据集将与斯皮策数据一起进行沿着分析，建模，并用于建立完整的光学到红外透射光谱。我们的观测工作将与一个广泛而包容的理论建模计划相结合，在该计划中，我们将把一系列重要的物理效应结合在一起，包括特别是云和霾，用3D全球环流模型以自洽的方式对完整的大气进行建模。重点将放在两个关键的科学贡献上，解决为什么一些炎热的天气有雾和云，而其他人没有，以及平流层存在或不存在的悬而未决的问题。

Exoplanets can be detected and studied in transit and eclipse events, when a planet passes in front or is eclipsed by its star as viewed from the Earth. These events provide key information about the atmosphere of exoplanets, and can be used to measure a planets temperature, atmospheric composition, thermal structure, and detect clouds or hazes. Two large programmes on the Hubble Space Telescope and 10.4 meter GTC have been underway lead by Dr. Sing performing a wide-scale atmospheric spectral survey of hot Jupiter exoplanets, gas giant planets found close to their parent stars. For this project, these datasets will be analysed along with Spitzer data, modelled, and used to build complete optical to infrared transmission spectra. Our observational efforts will be combined with a broad and inclusive theoretical modeling programme, where we will incorporate a full range of crucial physical effects together, including notably clouds and hazes, modelling the complete atmosphere in a self-consistent manner with a 3D global circulation model. Focus will be given on on two key scientific contributions, addressing why some hot Jupiters have hazes & clouds while others do not, and the outstanding issue on the presence or absence of stratospheres.