Nagler, PC, Edwards, B, Kilpatrick, B, Lewis, NK, Maxted, P, Netterfield, CB, Parmentier, V, Pascale, E, Sarkar, S, Tucker, GS and Waldmann, I (2019) Observing Exoplanets in the Near-Infrared from a High Altitude Balloon Platform. Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation, 8 (3). ISSN 2251-1717

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Abstract

Although there exists a large sample of known exoplanets, little data exists that can be used to study their global atmospheric properties. This deficiency can be addressed by performing phase-resolved spectroscopy — continuous spectroscopic observations of a planet’s entire orbit about its host star — of transiting exoplanets. Planets with characteristics suitable for atmospheric characterization have orbits of several days, thus phase curve observations are highly resource intensive, especially for shared use facilities. In this work, we show that an infrared spectrograph operating from a high altitude balloon platform can perform phase-resolved spectroscopy of hot Jupiter-type exoplanets with performance comparable to a space-based telescope. Using the EXoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE) experiment as an example, we quantify the impact of the most important systematic effects that we expect to encounter from a balloon platform. We show an instrument like EXCITE will have the stability and sensitivity to significantly advance our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres. Such an instrument will both complement and serve as a critical bridge between current and future space-based near-infrared spectroscopic instruments.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via World Scientific at https://doi.org/10.1142/S2251171719500119 - please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Uncontrolled Keywords: Planets and satellites: atmospheres, instrumentation: spectrographs.
Subjects: Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Faculty of Natural Sciences > School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Depositing User: Symplectic
Date Deposited: 11 Oct 2019 15:53
Last Modified: 24 Mar 2021 12:39
URI: https://eprints.keele.ac.uk/id/eprint/7018

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