Presentation 1 : Oral
Giant exoplanet atmospheres and "hot Neptunes": modelling of coupled photochemical and radiative processes, modelling of infrared spectra (PNP)
J. Kieken, F. Selsis, M. Dobrijevic, F. Billebaud, J.-P. Parisot
Darwin (ESA) is a project of space interferometer aiming at the detection of extra-solar planets and some of their atmospheric components. This instrument will be very powerful to study yet hypothetical objects called “hot Neptunes”, which are giant planets similar to Uranus or Neptune but orbiting closer to their primary.
We are developing a numerical model for the simulation of chemical and thermal evolution of such giant exoplanet atmospheres. Based on a photochemical model for the giant planets of our Solar System, it will also compute the thermal emission of the planet as it could be measured by Darwin.
We will investigate the influence of the distance of the planet from its primary on the composition and the thermal structure of its atmosphere, in a migration scenario. We will also include the effect of reaction rates uncertainties on photochemistry and therefore on the spectra we will create.