NEAR-IR DIRECT DETECTION OF WATER VAPOR IN TAU BOÖTIS b

2014/02/04 by Alexandra Lockwood, Alexandra C. Lockwood, John A. Johnson +7 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Atmosphere (unit) #Chemistry #Exoplanet #Flux (metallurgy) #Hot Jupiter #Jupiter (rocket family) #Mass ratio #Meteorology #Opacity #Optics #Physics #Planet #Planetary mass #Planetary system #Radial velocity #Spectroscopy #Stars #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Water vapor #astro-ph.EP

paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/783/2/l29

6 pages, 4 figures Accepted for publication in ApJL

arxiv created 2014/02/04 · arxiv published 2014/02/04 · openalex publication_date 2014/02/24 · arxiv updated 2014/03/05 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

We use high dynamic range, high-resolution L -band spectroscopy to measure the radial velocity (RV) variations of the hot Jupiter in the τ Boötis planetary system. The detection of an exoplanet by the shift in the stellar spectrum alone provides a measure of the planet's minimum mass, with the true mass degenerate with the unknown orbital inclination. Treating the τ Boo system as a high flux ratio double-lined spectroscopic binary permits the direct measurement of the planet's true mass as well as its atmospheric properties. After removing telluric absorption and cross-correlating with a model planetary spectrum dominated by water opacity, we measure a 6σ detection of the planet at K p = 111 ± 5 km s −1 , with a 1σ upper limit on the spectroscopic flux ratio of 10 −4 . This RV leads to a planetary orbital inclination of ° and a mass of . We report the first detection of water vapor in the atmosphere of a non-transiting hot Jupiter, τ Boo b.

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Cited by

• Primary Velocity and Orbital Phase Effects on Planetary Detectability from Small Epoch Number Data Sets

Discussions

• Near-IR Direct Detection of Water Vapor in Tau Boo b [hn, 3 points, 0 comments]

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