W. B. Hubbard et al. 2001 ApJ 560 413 doi:10.1086/322490
W. B. Hubbard1, J. J. Fortney1, J. I. Lunine1, A. Burrows2, D. Sudarsky2 and P. Pinto2
Show affiliationsWe present a synthesis of physical effects influencing the observed light curve of an extrasolar giant planet (EGP) transiting its host star. The synthesis includes a treatment of Rayleigh scattering, cloud scattering, refraction, and molecular absorption of starlight in the EGP atmosphere. Of these effects, molecular absorption dominates in determining the transit-derived radius R for planetary orbital radii less than a few AU. Using a generic model for the atmosphere of EGP HD 209458b, we perform a fit to the best available transit light-curve data and infer that this planet has a radius at a pressure of 1 bar, R1, equal to 94,430 km, with an uncertainty of ~500 km arising from plausible uncertainties in the atmospheric temperature profile. We predict that R will be a function of wavelength of observation, with a robust prediction of at least ±1% variations at infrared wavelengths where H2O opacity in the high EGP atmosphere dominates.
planetary systems; radiative transfer; stars: individual (HD 209458)
Issue 1 (2001 October 10)
Received 2000 December 27, accepted for publication 2001 June 8
W. B. Hubbard et al. 2001 ApJ 560 413
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