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Astrophysics

Title: Hot Jupiter Variability in Eclipse Depth

Authors: Emily Rauscher, Kristen Menou (Columbia), James Y-K. Cho (QM Univ. London), Sara Seager (MIT), Brad Hansen (UCLA)
Abstract: 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.
Comments: 13 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters
Subjects: Astrophysics (astro-ph)
Cite as: arXiv:astro-ph/0612413v2

Submission history

From: Kristen Menou [view email]
[v1] Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:50:14 GMT (192kb)
[v2] Thu, 3 May 2007 14:40:59 GMT (155kb)