Armstrong, David J., de Mooij, E., Barstow, J., Osborn, Hugh P., Blake, James A. and Saniee, Nessa Fereshteh (2016) Variability in the atmosphere of the hot giant planet HAT-P-7 b. Nature Astronomy, 1 . 0004. doi:10.1038/s41550-016-0004

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Abstract

As an exoplanet orbits its host star it reflects and emits light, forming a distinctive phase curve. By observing this light, we can study the atmosphere and surface of distant planets. The planets in our Solar System show a wide range of atmospheric phenomena, with stable wind patterns, changing storms, and evolving anomalies. Brown dwarfs also exhibit atmospheric variability. Such temporal variability in the atmosphere of a giant exoplanet has not to date been observed. HAT-P-7 b is an exoplanet with a known offset in the peak of its phase curve. Here we present variations in the peak offset ranging between - 0.086+0.033-0.033 to 0.143+0.040-0.037 in phase, implying that the peak brightness repeatedly shifts from one side of the planet’s substellar point to the other. The variability occurs on a timescale of tens to hundreds of days. These shifts in brightness are indicative of variability in the planet’s atmosphere, and result from a changing balance of thermal emission and reflected flux from the planet’s dayside. We suggest that variation in wind speed in the planetary atmosphere, leading to variable cloud coverage on the dayside and a changing energy balance, is capable of explaining the observed variation.

Item Type:	Journal Item
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Extrasolar planets, Planets -- Atmospheres, Brown dwarf stars
Journal or Publication Title:	Nature Astronomy
Publisher:	Nature Publishing Group
ISSN:	2397-3366
Official Date:	12 December 2016
Dates:	Date Event 12 December 2016 Published 3 November 2016 Accepted 16 June 2016 Submitted
Date of first compliant deposit:	15 December 2016
Volume:	1
Article Number:	0004
DOI:	10.1038/s41550-016-0004
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:	Project/Grant ID RIOXX Funder Name Funder ID 313014 Seventh Framework Programme http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100011102 UNSPECIFIED Michael West Fellowship UNSPECIFIED NAS5-26555 National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000104 NNX09AF08G National Aeronautics and Space Administration http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000104
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