2006/12/31 by Emily Rauscher, Kristen Menou, James Y‐K. Cho +4 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy #Astrophysics #Atmosphere (unit) #Atmospheric circulation #Atmospheric sciences #Eclipse #Environmental science #Exoplanet #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Geology #Hot Jupiter #Jupiter (rocket family) #Meteorology #Physics #Planet #Rossby radius of deformation #Rossby wave #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #Turbulence #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/519374
13 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters
arxiv created 2007/05/03 · openalex publication_date 2007/06/07 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Physical conditions in the atmospheres of tidally locked, slowly rotating hot Jupiters correspond to dynamical circulation regimes with Rhines scales and Rossby deformation radii comparable to the planetary radii. Consequently, the large spatial scales of moving atmospheric structures could generate significant photospheric variability. Here we estimate the level of thermal infrared variability expected in successive secondary eclipse depths, according to hot Jupiter turbulent "shallow-layer" models. The variability, at the few percent level or more in models with strong enough winds, is within the reach of Spitzer measurements. Eclipse depth variability is thus a valuable tool to constrain the circulation regime and global wind speeds in hot Jupiter atmospheres.