We highlight how guaranteed time observations (GTOs) and early release science (ERS) will advance understanding of exoplanet atmospheres and provide a glimpse into what transiting exoplanet science will be done with JWST during its first year of operations. These observations of 27 transiting planets will deliver significant insights into the compositions, chemistry, clouds, and thermal profiles of warm-to-hot gas-dominated planets well beyond what we have learned from HST, Spitzer, and other observatories to date. These data and insights will in turn inform our understanding of planet formation, atmospheric transport and climate, and relationships between various properties. Some insight will likely be gained into rocky planet atmospheres as well. JWST will be the most important mission for characterizing exoplanet atmospheres in the 2020s, and this should be considered in assessing exoplanet science for the 2020s and 2030s and future facilities.
@article{arxiv.1903.07152,
title = {Characterizing Transiting Exoplanets with JWST Guaranteed Time and ERS Observations},
author = {Thomas Greene and Jacob Bean and Thomas Beatty and Jeroen Bouwman and Jonathan Fortney and Yasuhiro Hasegawa and Thomas Henning and David Lafreniere and Pierre-Olivier Lagage and George Rieke and Thomas Roellig and Everett Schlawin and Kevin Stevenson},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1903.07152},
year = {2019}
}
Comments
Submitted Astro2020 Decadal Survey Science White Paper