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Rocky planets are common around other stars, but their atmospheric properties remain largely unconstrained. Thanks to a wealth of recent planet discoveries and upcoming advances in observing capability, we are poised to characterize the…
We present the first robust helium (He) abundance measurements in star-forming galaxies at redshifts $1.6\lesssim z\lesssim 3.3$ using deep, moderate-resolution JWST/NIRSpec spectroscopy from the AURORA survey. We establish a High$-z$ HeI…
We present medium-wave ($\sim$0.5~$\mu$m to $\sim$13~$\mu$m) radiative flux distributions and spectra derived from high-resolution atmospheric dynamics simulations of an exoplanet \WASPP. This planet serves to illustrate several important…
Available JWST observations TRAPPIST-1 system have suggested that several of the planets are likely airless, or possess a very tenuous atmosphere. However, the high atmospheric escape rates expected for these planets suggest that any…
We propose a method to distinguish between cloudy, hazy and clearsky (free of clouds and hazes) exoplanet atmospheres that could be applicable to upcoming large aperture space and ground-based telescopes such as the James Webb Space…
The sun and giant planets are generally thought to have the same helium abundance as that in the solar nebula from which they were formed 4.6 billion years ago. In contrast, the interstellar medium reflects current galactic conditions. The…
The location of the hydrogen-helium (H/He) immiscibility boundary controls whether and where helium rain occurs in giant planets, yet it remains uncertain because high-pressure experiments are challenging and ab initio simulations are…
Future direct-imaging exoplanet missions such as WFIRST/AFTA, Exo-C, and Exo-S will measure the reflectivity of exoplanets at visible wavelengths. The exoplanets to be observed will be located further away from their parent stars than is…
Short-period sub-Neptunes are common in extrasolar systems. These sub-Neptunes are generally thought to have primary atmospheres of protoplanetary-disk gas origin. However, atmospheric escape followed by degassing from their interiors can…
Chemical models are routinely used to predict the atmospheric composition of exoplanets and compare it with the composition retrieved from observations, but little is known about the reliability of the calculated composition. We carried out…
Transmission spectroscopy of transiting exoplanets is a proven technique that can yield information on the composition and structure of a planet's atmosphere. However, transmission spectra may be compromised by inhomogeneities in the…
We investigate the atmosphere and interior of the new transiting planet HD 149026b, which appears to be very rich in heavy elements. We first compute model atmospheres at metallicities ranging from solar to ten times solar, and show how for…
We model the formation of silicate atmospheres on hot volatile-free super-Earths. Our calculations assume that all volatile elements such as H, C, N, S, and Cl have been lost from the planet. We find that the atmospheres are composed…
Detection of an atmosphere around a terrestrial exoplanet will be a major milestone in the field, but our observational capacities are biased towards to tidally locked, close-in planets orbiting M-dwarf stars. The atmospheres of these…
Characterizing temperate exoplanet atmospheres remains challenging due to their small size and low temperatures. Recent JWST observations provide valuable data, but their interpretation has led to diverging conclusions. Complementary…
Clouds are an integral part of planetary atmospheres, with most planets hosting clouds. The understanding of not only the formation, but also the composition of clouds is crucial to the understanding of future observations. As observations…
Observations of escaping atmospheres on close-in exoplanets show a wide range in the strength and morphology of He I 10830 A and H I absorption. Scaling relations attempt to link the He I signal to XUV irradiation, mass loss, and bulk…
HD 209458 b is the first exoplanet on which an atmosphere was detected. Since then, its atmosphere has been investigated using multiple telescopes and instruments. However, many of its atmospheric constraints remain debatable. While HST…
We present a population-level view of volatile gas species (H$_2$, He, H$_2$O, O$_2$, CO, CO$_2$, CH$_4$) distribution during the sub-Neptune to rocky planet transition, revealing in detail the dynamic nature of small planet atmospheric…
The atmospheres of synchronously rotating exoplanets are intrinsically three-dimensional, and fast vertical and horizontal winds are expected to mix the atmosphere, driving the chemical composition out of equilibrium. Due to the longer…