Related papers: Properties of Sub-Neptune Atmospheres: TOI-270 Sys…

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will offer the first opportunity to characterize terrestrial exoplanets with sufficient precision to identify high mean molecular weight atmospheres, and TRAPPIST-1's seven known transiting Earth-sized…

Recent JWST measurements allow access to the near-infrared spectrum of the sub-Neptune TOI-270 d, for which two different interpretations, a high-metallicity miscible envelope and a lower metallicity hycean world, are currently in conflict.…

In recent years, JWST has facilitated detections of carbon-bearing molecules in the atmospheres of temperate sub-Neptunes orbiting M dwarfs, ushering in a new era in the characterization of this intriguing planetary regime. We report the…

The upcoming James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) promises a generational shift in the study of temperate mini-Neptune atmospheres using transit spectroscopy. High-altitude clouds however threaten to impede their atmospheric characterisation…

The first explorations of temperate sub-Neptune exoplanets have been the hallmark of early JWST observations. The bulk properties of such planets are consistent with a range of possible internal structures, which can be distinguished…

The JWST has ushered in a new era in atmospheric characterisations of temperate low-mass exoplanets with recent detections of carbon-bearing molecules in the candidate Hycean world K2-18 b. We investigated JWST observations of the TOI-270…

The nature of sub-Neptunes is one of the hottest topics in exoplanetary science. Temperate sub-Neptunes are of special interest because some could be habitable. Here, we consider whether these planets might instead be rocky worlds with…

The James Webb Space Telescope will enable astronomers to obtain exoplanet spectra of unprecedented precision. Especially the MIRI instrument may shed light on the nature of the cloud particles obscuring planetary transmission spectra in…

Sub-Neptune planets, with no analogue in our solar system, provide a wealth of information about exoplanet diversity, formation & evolution, and habitability. Their robust characterisation requires the coupling of physically informed…

Exoplanets with radii between those of Earth and Neptune have stronger surface gravity than Earth, and can retain a sizable hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. In contrast to gas giant planets, we call these planets gas dwarf planets. The James…

TOI-270d is a temperate sub-Neptune discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) around a bright (J=9.1mag) M3V host star. With an approximate radius of 2RE and equilibrium temperature of 350K, TOI-270d is one of the most…

The search for atmospheres on rocky exoplanets is a crucial step in understanding the processes driving atmosphere formation, retention, and loss. Past studies have revealed the existence of planets interior to the radius valley with…

Sub-Neptune planets, with sizes and masses between those of Earth and Neptune, dominate the exoplanet population. Sub-Neptunes are expected to be the most diverse family of the exoplanet population, potentially including rocky gas dwarfs,…

We explore how well James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spectra will likely constrain bulk atmospheric properties of transiting exoplanets. We start by modeling the atmospheres of archetypal hot Jupiter, warm Neptune, warm sub-Neptune, and…

A number of transiting, potentially habitable Earth-sized exoplanets have recently been detected around several nearby M dwarf stars. These worlds represent important targets for atmospheric characterization for the upcoming NASA James Webb…

With sizable volatile envelopes but smaller radii than the solar system ice giants, sub-Neptunes have been revealed as one of the most common types of planet in the galaxy. While the spectroscopic characterization of larger sub-Neptunes…

Clouds are ubiquitous in extrasolar planet atmospheres and are critical to our understanding of planetary climate and chemistry. They also represent one of the greater challenges to overcome when trying to interpret transit transmission…

In this white paper, we assess the potential for JWST to characterize the atmospheres of super-Earth exoplanets, by simulating a range of transiting spectra with different masses and temperatures. Our results are based on a JWST simulator…

The atmospheres of planets between the size of Earth and Neptune at short orbital periods have been under intense scrutiny. Of the ~dozen planets in this regime with atmospheres studied so far, a few appear to have prominent molecular…

Doppler and transit surveys are finding extrasolar planets of ever smaller mass and radius, and are now sampling the domain of superEarths (1-3 Earth radii). Recent results from the Doppler surveys suggest that discovery of a transiting…