Aggregate Hazes in Exoplanet Atmospheres. (arXiv:1902.05231v1 [astro-ph.EP])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Adams_D/0/1/0/all/0/1">Danica Adams</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Gao_P/0/1/0/all/0/1">Peter Gao</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Pater_I/0/1/0/all/0/1">Imke de Pater</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Morley_C/0/1/0/all/0/1">Caroline Morley</a>
Photochemical hazes have been frequently used to interpret exoplanet
transmission spectra that show an upward slope towards shorter wavelengths and
weak molecular features. While previous studies have only considered spherical
haze particles, photochemical hazes composed of hydrocarbon aggregate particles
are common throughout the solar system. We use an aerosol microphysics model to
investigate the effect of aggregate photochemical haze particles on
transmission spectra of warm exoplanets. We find that the wavelength dependence
of the optical depth of aggregate particle hazes is flatter than for spheres
since aggregates grow to larger radii. As a result, while spherical haze
opacity displays a scattering slope towards shorter wavelengths, aggregate haze
opacity can be gray in the optical and NIR, similar to those assumed for
condensate cloud decks. We further find that haze opacity increases with
increasing production rate, decreasing eddy diffusivity, and increasing monomer
size, though the magnitude of the latter effect is dependent on production rate
and the atmospheric pressure levels probed. We generate synthetic exoplanet
transmission spectra to investigate the effect of these hazes on spectral
features. For high haze opacity cases, aggregate hazes lead to flat, nearly
featureless spectra, while spherical hazes produce sloped spectra with clear
spectral features at long wavelengths. Finally, we generate synthetic
transmission spectra of GJ 1214b for aggregate and spherical hazes and compare
them to space-based observations. We find that aggregate hazes can reproduce
the data significantly better than spherical hazes, assuming a production rate
limited by delivery of methane to the upper atmosphere.
Photochemical hazes have been frequently used to interpret exoplanet
transmission spectra that show an upward slope towards shorter wavelengths and
weak molecular features. While previous studies have only considered spherical
haze particles, photochemical hazes composed of hydrocarbon aggregate particles
are common throughout the solar system. We use an aerosol microphysics model to
investigate the effect of aggregate photochemical haze particles on
transmission spectra of warm exoplanets. We find that the wavelength dependence
of the optical depth of aggregate particle hazes is flatter than for spheres
since aggregates grow to larger radii. As a result, while spherical haze
opacity displays a scattering slope towards shorter wavelengths, aggregate haze
opacity can be gray in the optical and NIR, similar to those assumed for
condensate cloud decks. We further find that haze opacity increases with
increasing production rate, decreasing eddy diffusivity, and increasing monomer
size, though the magnitude of the latter effect is dependent on production rate
and the atmospheric pressure levels probed. We generate synthetic exoplanet
transmission spectra to investigate the effect of these hazes on spectral
features. For high haze opacity cases, aggregate hazes lead to flat, nearly
featureless spectra, while spherical hazes produce sloped spectra with clear
spectral features at long wavelengths. Finally, we generate synthetic
transmission spectra of GJ 1214b for aggregate and spherical hazes and compare
them to space-based observations. We find that aggregate hazes can reproduce
the data significantly better than spherical hazes, assuming a production rate
limited by delivery of methane to the upper atmosphere.
http://arxiv.org/icons/sfx.gif
