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The Search for an Atmospheric Signature of the Transiting Exoplanet HD 149026b

Nassim Bozorgnia·Jonathan J. Fortney·Chris McCarthy·Debra A. Fischer·Geoffrey W. Marcy
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Abstract

HD 149026b is a short-period, Saturn-mass planet that transits a metal-rich star. The planet's radius, determined by photometry, is remarkably small compared to other known transiting planets, with a heavy-element core that apparently comprises ~70% of the total planet mass. Time-series spectra were obtained at Keck before and during transit in order to model the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. Here we make use of these observations to carry out a differential comparison of spectra obtained in and out of transit to search for signatures of neutral atomic lithium and potassium from the planet atmosphere. No signal was detected at the 2% level; we therefore place upper limits on the column density of these atoms.

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Nassim Bozorgnia, Jonathan J. Fortney, Chris McCarthy, Debra A. Fischer, Geoffrey W. Marcy. 2006-09-18. The Search for an Atmospheric Signature of the Transiting Exoplanet HD 149026b. https://doi.org/10.1086/508237

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