arXiv subjects

Katherine A. Bennett

Publications and source records attributed to Katherine A. Bennett.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Evidence for LP 890-9d via Transit Timing Variations

LP 890-9, also known as SPECULOOS-2 and TOI-4306, is a nearby late-M dwarf hosting two confirmed transiting rocky exoplanets. We analyze 20 JWST/NIRSpec PRISM transits of LP 890-9b and LP 890-9c obtained as part of GO program 7073 and detect statistically significant transit timing variations (TTVs), with peak-to-peak amplitudes of ~17 s and ~35 s, respectively. Using analytic linear TTV theory, we find that the known two-planet configuration cannot reproduce the measured TTV amplitudes or super-period, whereas three-planet models provide substantially better fits. The best-fit configuration places the candidate third planet, LP 890-9d, between planets b and c, with an orbital period of ~4.4 days; however, the current data do not uniquely determine its orbital architecture, and periods spanning 4.0-6.9 days remain plausible. TESS is insensitive to transits of LP 890-9d and we find no evidence for the candidate in JWST observations, although the phase coverage (ranging from ~50% to ~80%) depends strongly on the candidate orbital period. Additional high-precision transit observations of LP 890-9b and LP 890-9c are needed to refine their TTV solutions and further constrain the orbital properties of the third planet.

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arXiv2026

A JWST transiting survey of FGK stellar limb darkening: empirical evidence for quadratic laws and atmospheric model comparisons

We present a study of stellar limb-darkening using JWST transit observations of seven exoplanets orbiting FGK host stars, spanning 4200-6800 K. The wide wavelength coverage and high S/N of NIRISS/SOSS and NIRSpec/PRISM enable precise constraints on the wavelength-dependent limb-darkening. Using Bayesian model selection, we find that the quadratic limb-darkening law is statistically preferred over higher-order laws for most FGK stars, recovers consistent intensity profiles for $>$95% of the stellar disk area, and introduces a minimal bias in the derived transit depths of only $\sim$14 ppm (1$σ$) for 6/7 targets. This contrasts with previous studies relying on stellar models. We compare the empirically derived quadratic coefficients to predictions from the PHOENIX, MPS-ATLAS, MURaM, and Stagger stellar atmosphere grids. We introduce a quadratic limb-darkening parameterization in terms of limb intensity ($\ell$) and curvature at mid-$μ$ ($δ$), finding that empirical FGK limb darkening is generally more linear than models predict ($δ\lesssim 0.1$). We identify wavelength-independent offsets between data and model quadratic coefficients, minimized by adopting $μ_{\rm min} = 0.2$ in intensity calculations; we attribute this in part to models overpredicting limb-darkening near the limb where the plane-parallel approximation breaks down. For spherical PHOENIX models, we derive a $μ$ rescaling method using a $τ= 1$ photospheric radius. With these corrections, residual offsets are minimized and all stellar models achieve statistically acceptable fits. We provide recommended limb-darkening offset priors for use in JWST transit analyses, enabling more accurate constraints on exoplanet transmission spectra while accounting for residual stellar model uncertainties.

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arXiv2026

A Clearer View of HAT-P-1 b: JWST NIRSpec G395H Reveals Water, Carbon Dioxide, and Possibly Hydrogen Sulfide

As part of JWST's Exoplanet Grand Tour Survey, we use panchromatic transmission spectroscopy to connect HAT-P-1 b's previously studied optical and near-infrared atmosphere to the longer-wavelength molecular bands accessible with JWST. We present JWST NIRSpec G395H transmission spectroscopy of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-1 b over 2.7--5.3~$μ$m, and combine the new spectrum with archival HST STIS and WFC3 observations for a 0.3--5.3~$μ$m atmospheric analysis. We independently reduce the JWST data with the Eureka!, FIREFLy, and Tswift pipelines, finding mutually consistent transmission spectra across the G395H bandpass. Atmospheric retrievals yield strong evidence for H$_2$O and CO$_2$ with Bayes factors of $\log_{10}B_{\mathrm{H_2O}}=8.9$ and $\log_{10}B_{\mathrm{CO_2}}=52.3$, while providing tentative evidence for H$_2$S ($\log_{10}B_{\mathrm{H_2S}}=1.4$). The joint H$_2$O and CO$_2$ constraints favor an atmosphere near chemical equilibrium, with $\log_{10} \text{M/H}=0.99^{+0.19}_{-0.14}$, corresponding to $\sim10\times$ Solar or $\sim9\times$ relative to the near-solar metallicity host star, and a 3$σ$ upper limit of C/O $<0.52$. Because H$_2$O and CO$_2$ provide a metallicity comparatively insensitive to vertical mixing in this temperature regime, their combined detection suggests the composition is dominated by bulk enrichment rather than strong disequilibrium transport. We find no significant evidence for clouds; instead, the persistence of molecular structure across the spectrum argues against strong cloud muting. The tentative H$_2$S signal, if confirmed, would further suggest limited photochemical processing at the pressures probed. Together, the molecular inventory, enriched metallicity, and low C/O ratio point to an oxygen-rich atmosphere and establish HAT-P-1 b as a benchmark for comparative studies of hot-Jupiter atmospheric composition.

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arXiv2026

No Helium Detected in LHS 1140 b from Four JWST NIRISS/SOSS Transits

In the effort to determine which low-mass exoplanets have atmospheres, LHS 1140 b remains one of the most favorable targets. Its large size (5.6 $\rm M_{\oplus}$ and 1.7 $\rm R_{\oplus}$) and relatively long orbital period (24.7 days) imply an atmosphere may be likely, and notably, recent interior models favor either a hydrogen-dominated "mini-Neptune" or a "water world" over a true terrestrial planet. Another possibility is that it has a helium-rich atmosphere. This hypothesis is supported by recent ground-based observations that detected the metastable helium triplet during transit. These observations indicated there may be current helium escape from the planet's upper atmosphere, yet the signal was not detected during a subsequent observation, suggesting time-variable escape. Here we present four observations of LHS 1140 b with JWST NIRISS/SOSS, which covers the metastable helium triplet, obtained between 2023 and 2026. These observations span the epoch of the ground-based measurements, and although none were contemporaneous with the ground-based transits, all four are sensitive to helium absorption at the previously reported level. However, we detect no helium absorption in any visit. We reject the best-fit ground-based model at $>3σ$ in each visit, and find no clear trend in mass-loss with time. Our results suggest the reported ground-based detection may be spurious, although variability cannot be excluded if detectable helium absorption occurs in $\lesssim50\%$ of transits. The nature of LHS 1140 b thus remains a mystery until future transmission and emission analyses are complete.

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arXiv2026

Precise Determination of the Metallicity and C/O of WASP-39~b From a Single JWST Instrument Mode with Phase-Resolved Cross-Correlation Retrievals

Measuring atmospheric metallicities and C/O ratios is a key goal of JWST exoplanet science, given their proposed link to planet formation. Achieving this goal has previously been shown to require broad wavelength coverage ($\sim$1--5 $μ$m), typically demanding multiple instrument modes to complete the molecular inventory. Here, we show that the multi-instrument requirement can be circumvented using phase-resolved cross-correlation retrievals at native pixel resolution -- an approach more typically applied to ground-based high-resolution spectroscopy. By applying this novel analysis technique to an archival single-mode transit of the hot Jupiter WASP-39~b obtained with NIRSpec/G395H, we detect and obtain bounded abundances for all of its major carbon- and oxygen-bearing molecules: H$_2$O ($Δ\ln(Z) = 67$), CO ($Δ\ln(Z) = 25$), CO$_2$ ($Δ\ln(Z) = 475$), and SO$_2$ ($Δ\ln(Z) = 10$). Notably, while standard retrieval methods fail to detect CO in these same data ($Δ\ln(Z) = 0.2$), our approach detects it decisively, confirming it as the dominant carbon carrier in WASP-39 b's atmosphere. From these abundances, we robustly derive a metallicity of $\rm [(C + O) / H] = 1.2 \pm 0.2$ and a C/O ratio of $0.68^{+0.10}_{-0.14} $, generally consistent with previous multi-instrument analyses. In comparison, traditional retrievals performed on the G395H data alone produce biased and inaccurate values of both parameters, driven primarily by the non-detection of CO as well as incomplete water band coverage. Our results establish phase-resolved cross-correlation retrievals as a powerful tool for extracting maximum atmospheric information from existing and future JWST data sets.

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arXiv2026

Mitigating Charge Migration in JWST NIRISS Reveals That KELT-7 b is a Metal-enriched Ultra-hot Jupiter Orbiting a Young Metal-rich Star

We present the first panchromatic JWST transmission spectrum of an ultra-hot Jupiter, combining NIRISS and NIRSpec observations to constrain KELT-7\,b's atmospheric properties. We show evidence for charge migration in our NIRISS SOSS observation between 1--1.5~$μ$m, a wavelength range crucial to test for enhanced H$^-$ previously inferred from HST WFC3/IR G141 observations. We mitigate charge migration by fitting the ramp after extracting 1D stellar spectra at the group level. This ``late-ramp-fit'' method accurately calculates KELT-7\,b's transmission spectrum between 1--1.5~$μ$m at higher signal-to-noise. Using the transit-derived stellar mean density during stellar property inference reveals that KELT-7 is a $640\pm100$ Myr-old, $[\text{Fe}/\text{H}]=0.46\pm0.02$ star. Combined with NIRSpec and re-reduced WFC3/UVIS G280 data, our free retrieval analysis shows strong evidence for H$_2$O, CO$_2$, and TiO among high-temperature species, but not H$^-$ or clouds. Unaccounted-for systematics may therefore bias longer-wavelength WFC3/IR G141 transit depths shallower. Our free retrieval, two equilibrium retrievals, and self-consistent grid fit all prefer a high metallicity but find discrepant C/O ratios. Agglomerated together, we constrain a super-stellar $\text{M/H}=92^{+24}_{-23}\times$~Solar and C/O~$\leq0.9$, suggesting enhanced metal accretion in the later stages of KELT-7\,b's formation. Our GCMs explain the observed lack of limb asymmetry with superrotating jet-driven efficient horizontal mixing. The stark contrast between our panchromatic analysis and prior analyses on subsets of these data demonstrates the value of broad wavelength coverage for the comprehensive study of exoplanet atmospheres.

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arXiv2026

Cloudy mornings and clear evenings on a gas giant exoplanet

The spectra of exoplanet atmospheres are affected by aerosols (clouds and hazes) of uncertain origin. Proposed aerosol formation mechanisms include gas condensation or photochemical reactions. We measure the transmission spectrum of the tidally locked gas giant exoplanet WASP-94A b and identify asymmetry in its atmosphere. The morning limb is cooler and cloudy, while the evening limb is hotter and exhibits gaseous H$_2$O absorption features. We interpret this difference as due to the formation of cloud droplets near the morning limb, which evaporate during circulation to the evening limb. The dominant aerosols are clouds cycling between the day and night sides of the atmosphere, not photochemical hazes. The resulting asymmetry can severely bias chemical abundance measurements, unless limb-resolved spectroscopy is available.

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arXiv2026

JWST COMPASS Program: The 3--5$μ$m transmission spectrum of LTT 1445 A b

The search for an atmosphere on the closest rocky M dwarf planet, LTT 1445 A b, has been the subject of intense investigation from both the ground and space. Here, we present the first JWST transmission spectrum of LTT 1445 A b using a single visit spanning 3-5~$μ$m using NIRSpec/G395H. We conduct two independent reductions of the data using both the Eureka! and ExoTiC-JEDI pipelines. Overall, we measure the NRS1 transit depths to a median precision of $\sim23$~ppm in 41 spectroscopic channels with uniform widths of 30 pixels ($\sim$ 0.02 $μ$m), and the NRS2 transit depths to $\sim36$~ppm precision in 65 spectroscopic channels, also with uniform widths of 30 pixels. We rule out any statistically significant spectral features at this precision and place limits on atmospheric metallicity using a grid of chemical equilibrium models with grey opaque clouds. Using NIRSpec/G395H alone, we can place limits on the atmospheric metallicity of $\gtrsim350~\times$ Solar when the opaque pressure level is greater than 0.01~bars. We also conduct a combined analysis of JWST/NIRSpec and HST/WFC3 transmission data and find our atmospheric limits can be extended $\gtrsim500~\times$ Solar when considering both datasets. Future analyses both in transit and emission will uncover whether there are detectable atmospheric features.

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arXiv2026

High Tide or Riptide on the Cosmic Shoreline? A Water-Rich Atmosphere or Stellar Contamination for the Warm Super-Earth GJ~486b from JWST Observations

Planets orbiting M-dwarf stars are prime targets in the search for rocky exoplanet atmospheres. The small size of M dwarfs renders their planets exceptional targets for transmission spectroscopy, facilitating atmospheric characterization. However, it remains unknown whether their host stars' highly variable extreme-UV radiation environments allow atmospheres to persist. With JWST, we have begun to determine whether or not the most favorable rocky worlds orbiting M dwarfs have detectable atmospheres. Here, we present a 2.8-5.2 micron JWST NIRSpec/G395H transmission spectrum of the warm (700 K, 40.3x Earth's insolation) super-Earth GJ 486b (1.3 R$_{\oplus}$ and 3.0 M$_{\oplus}$). The measured spectrum from our two transits of GJ 486b deviates from a flat line at 2.2 - 3.3 $σ$, based on three independent reductions. Through a combination of forward and retrieval models, we determine that GJ 486b either has a water-rich atmosphere (with the most stringent constraint on the retrieved water abundance of H2O > 10% to 2$σ$) or the transmission spectrum is contaminated by water present in cool unocculted starspots. We also find that the measured stellar spectrum is best fit by a stellar model with cool starspots and hot faculae. While both retrieval scenarios provide equal quality fits ($χ^2_ν$ = 1.0) to our NIRSpec/G395H observations, shorter wavelength observations can break this degeneracy and reveal if GJ 486b sustains a water-rich atmosphere.

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arXiv2025

A Comprehensive Reanalysis of K2-18 b's JWST NIRISS+NIRSpec Transmission Spectrum

Sub-Neptunes are the most common type of planet in our galaxy. Interior structure models suggest that the coldest sub-Neptunes could host liquid water oceans underneath their hydrogen envelopes -- sometimes called ``hycean'' planets. JWST transmission spectra of the $\sim$ 250 K sub-Neptune K2-18 b were recently used to report detections of CH$_4$ and CO$_2$, alongside weaker evidence of (CH$_3$)$_2$S (dimethyl sulfide, or DMS). Atmospheric CO$_2$ was interpreted as evidence for a liquid water ocean, while DMS was highlighted as a potential biomarker. However, these notable claims were derived using a single data reduction and retrieval modeling framework, which did not allow for standard robustness tests. Here we present a comprehensive reanalysis of K2-18 b's JWST NIRISS SOSS and NIRSpec G395H transmission spectra, including the first analysis of the second-order NIRISS SOSS data. We incorporate multiple well-tested data reduction pipelines and retrieval codes, spanning 60 different data treatments and over 250 atmospheric retrievals. We confirm the detection of CH$_4$ ($\approx 4σ$), with a volume mixing ratio range $-2.14 \leq \log_{10} \mathrm{CH_4} \leq -0.53$, but we find no statistically significant or reliable evidence for CO$_2$ or DMS. Finally, we assess the retrieved atmospheric composition using photochemical-climate and interior models, demonstrating that our revised composition of K2-18\,b can be explained by an oxygen-poor mini-Neptune without requiring a liquid water surface or life.

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arXiv2025

Strong NUV Refractory Absorption and Dissociated Water in the Hubble Transmission Spectrum of the Ultra Hot Jupiter KELT-20 b

Ultra hot Jupiters (UHJs) present a promising pathway for drawing a link between a planet's composition and formation history. They retain both refractory and volatiles species in gas phase in their atmospheres, which allows us to place unique constraints on their building blocks. Here, we present the 0.2 - 1.7 $μ$m transmission spectrum of KELT-20 b/MASCARA-2 b taken with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Unlike other UHJs around early-type stars, KELT-20 b's orbit is well aligned with its host star's spin axis and we test whether its distinct dynamical configuration is reflected in its composition. We observe a tremendous rise (>10 scale heights) in the planet's transit depth at the near-UV wavelengths, akin to that observed for WASP-178 b and WASP-121 b, and a muted water absorption feature in the near-IR. Our retrievals indicate that the large NUV depth is driven by Fe II and/or SiO and that the water is mostly thermally dissociated. Assuming equilibrium chemistry, we obtain constraints on Z/H and O/H that indicate accretion of volatile-rich solids and/or gas. Both our low resolution spectrum and the refractory elemental ratios from Gandhi et al. 2023 suggest that nightside condensation and rainout are limited to only the most refractory species in the planet's atmosphere. Within the precision limits of the HST spectra, no strong evidence for limb asymmetry is detected. We contextualize this lack of asymmetry by comparing to predictions from general circulation models with and without the effects of kinematic magnetohydrodynamics. Lastly, we find no major differences in the HST transmission spectra of KELT-20 b, WASP-178, and WASP-121 b despite their different dynamical configurations.

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arXiv2025

Additional JWST/NIRSpec Transits of the Rocky M Dwarf Exoplanet GJ 1132 b Reveal a Featureless Spectrum

As an archetypal M-dwarf rocky exoplanet, GJ 1132 b has a varied history of atmospheric measurements. At 1.13 $\rm R_{\oplus}$, 1.66 $\rm M_{\oplus}$, and 580 K, it orbits a bright, slowly rotating M dwarf in a 1.6-day period, making it a prime target for characterization. In this study, we combine two JWST NIRSpec/G395H transits previously reported by May and MacDonald et al. 2023 with two new NIRSpec/G395M transits to constrain the presence of an atmosphere. This marks the first time the G395H and G395M modes have been combined for a single target, and we report no difference in the quality of data between the two modes. For rocky M-dwarf studies, G395H may still be preferred if stacking transits to utilize the high-resolution flux-calibrated stellar spectra and assess evolving stellar heterogeneity. GJ 1132 b's co-added transmission spectrum is best-fit with a flat line. A thin steam atmosphere is also consistent with the data, but this interpretation is driven almost entirely by the first transit, which suggests an increase in cool spot coverage-fraction derived from the flux-calibrated stellar spectra. This demonstrates the importance of always considering stellar heterogeneity evolution in multi-visit transits, and also the importance of a "leave-one-transit-out" approach in modeling efforts of co-added transits. We combine these results with MIRI/LRS emission data (Xue et al. 2024) to show that together, transmission and emission are consistent with only the thinnest of atmospheres. Given GJ 1132 b's age and distance from the star, a thin atmosphere is not likely stable. Therefore, the simplest explanation is that GJ 1132 b is indeed a bare rock.

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arXiv2025

Overcast mornings and clear evenings in hot Jupiter exoplanet atmospheres

Aerosols is an old topic in the young field of exoplanet atmospheres. Understanding what they are, how they form, and where they go has long provided a fertile playground for theorists. For observers, however, aerosols have been a multi-decade migraine, as their chronic presence hides atmospheric features. For hot Jupiters, the large day-night temperature contrast drives inhomogeneous thermal structures and aerosol distribution, leading to different limb properties probed by transit spectra. We present JWST NIRISS/SOSS spectra of morning and evening limbs for nine gas giants with equilibrium temperatures of ~800-1700 K. By measuring feature size of the 1.4 $μ$m water band for both limbs, we found three planets (WASP-39 b, WASP-94 Ab, and WASP-17 b) show prominent ($>$5$σ$) limb-limb atmospheric opacity difference with muted morning and clear evening limbs. The heavily muted water features on morning limbs indicate high-altitude (0.1 to 0.01 mbar) aerosols. To simultaneously have clear evening limbs requires processes with timescales ($\sim$day) comparable to advection to remove these lofted grains, and we found that both downwelling flow and dayside cloud evaporation could be plausible mechanisms. We hypothesize an empirical boundary--termed the "asymmetry horizon"--in temperature-gravity space that marks the transition where inhomogeneous aerosol coverage begins to emerge. Heterogeneous aerosol coverage is common among hot Jupiters. If unrecognized, limb averaging suppresses spectral features, mimicking high-mean-molecular-weight atmospheres, inflating inferred metallicity by up to 2 dex, and underestimating limb temperatures by as much as half. Finally, we introduce the Limb Spectroscopy Metric (LSM) to predict limb spectral feature size based on planet parameters.

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arXiv2025

Refractory and Volatile Species in the UV-to-IR Transmission Spectrum of Ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-178b with HST and JWST

The atmospheres of ultra-hot Jupiters are unique compared to other planets because of the presence of both refractory and volatile gaseous species, enabling a new lens to constrain a planet's composition, chemistry, and formation. WASP-178b is one such ultra-hot Jupiter that was recently found to exhibit enormous NUV absorption between 0.2 and 0.4 $μ$m from some combination of Fe+, Mg, and SiO. Here, we present new infrared observations of WASP-178b with HST/WFC3 and JWST/NIRSpec/G395H, providing novel measurements of the volatile species H$_2$O and CO in WASP-178b's atmosphere. Atmospheric retrievals find a range of compositional interpretations depending on which dataset is retrieved, the type of chemistry assumed, and the temperature structure parametrization used due to the combined effects of thermal dissociation, the lack of volatile spectral features besides H$_2$O and CO, and the relative weakness of H$_2$O and CO themselves. Taken together with a new state-of-the-art characterization of the host star, our retrieval analyses suggests a solar to super-solar [O/H] and [Si/H], but sub-solar [C/H], perhaps suggesting rock-laden atmospheric enrichment near the H$_2$O iceline. To obtain meaningful abundance constraints for this planet, it was essential to combine the JWST IR data with short-wavelength HST observations, highlighting the ongoing synergy between the two facilities.

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arXiv2025

Evidence for a volcanic atmosphere on the sub-Earth L98-59b

Assessing the prevalence of atmospheres on rocky planets around M-dwarf stars is a top priority of exoplanet science. High-energy activity from M-dwarfs can destroy the atmospheres of these planets, which could explain the lack of atmosphere detections to date. Volcanic outgassing has been proposed as a mechanism to replenish the atmospheres of tidally-heated rocky planets. L 98-59 b, a sub-Earth transiting a nearby M dwarf, was recently identified as the most promising exoplanet to detect a volcanic atmosphere. We present the transmission spectrum of L 98-59 b from four transits observed with JWST NIRSpec G395H. Although the airless model provides an adequate fit to the data based on its $χ^2$, an SO$_2$ atmosphere is preferred by 3.6$σ$ over a flat line in terms of the Bayesian evidence. Such an atmosphere would likely be in a steady state where volcanism balances escape. If so, L 98-59 b must experience at least eight times as much volcanism and tidal heating per unit mass as Io. If volcanism is driven by runaway melting of the mantle, we predict the existence of a subsurface magma ocean in L 98-59 b extending up to $R_p\sim 60-90\%$. An SO$_2$-rich volcanic atmosphere on L 98-59 b would be indicative of an oxidized mantle with an oxygen fugacity of $f\rm{O}_2>IW+2.7$, and it would imply that L 98-59 b must have retained some of its volatile endowment despite its proximity to its star. Our findings suggest that volcanism may revive secondary atmospheres on tidally heated rocky planets around M-dwarfs.

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arXiv2024

An HST Transmission Spectrum of the Closest M-Dwarf Transiting Rocky Planet LTT 1445Ab

Which rocky exoplanets have atmospheres? This presumably simply question is the first that must be answered to understand the prevalence of nearby habitable planets. A mere 6.9 pc from Earth, LTT 1445A is the closest transiting M-dwarf system, and its largest known planet, at $\rm 1.31\; R_{\oplus}$ and 424 K, is one of the most promising targets in which to search for an atmosphere. We use HST/WFC3 transmission spectroscopy with the G280 and G141 grisms to study the spectrum of LTT 1445Ab between $\rm 0.2-1.65\;μm$. In doing so, we uncover a UV flare on the neighboring star LTT 1445C that is completely invisible at optical wavelengths; we report one of the first simultaneous near-UV/optical spectra of an M~dwarf flare. The planet spectrum is consistent with a flat line (with median transit depth uncertainties of 128 and 52 ppm for the G280 and G141 observations, respectively), though the infrared portion displays potential features that could be explained by known opacity sources such as HCN. Some atmospheric retrievals weakly favor ($\sim2σ$) an atmosphere, but it remains challenging to discern between stellar contamination, an atmosphere, and a featureless spectrum at this time. We do, however, confidently rule out $\leq100\times$ solar metallicity atmospheres. Although stellar contamination retrievals cannot fit the infrared features well, the overall spectrum is consistent with stellar contamination from hot or cold spots. Based on the UV/optical data, we place limits on the extent of stellar variability expected in the near-infrared ($30-40$ ppm), which will be critical for future JWST observations.

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arXiv2024

JWST/NIRCam Transmission Spectroscopy of the Nearby Sub-Earth GJ 341b

We present a JWST/NIRCam transmission spectrum from $3.9-5.0$ $μ$m of the recently-validated sub-Earth GJ 341b ($\mathrm{R_P} = 0.92$ $\mathrm{R_{\oplus}}$, $\mathrm{T_{eq}} = 540$ K) orbiting a nearby bright M1 star ($\mathrm{d} = 10.4$ pc, $\mathrm{K_{mag}}=5.6$). We use three independent pipelines to reduce the data from the three JWST visits and perform several tests to check for the significance of an atmosphere. Overall, our analysis does not uncover evidence of an atmosphere. Our null hypothesis tests find that none of our pipelines' transmission spectra can rule out a flat line, although there is weak evidence for a Gaussian feature in two spectra from different pipelines (at 2.3 and $2.9σ$). However, the candidate features are seen at different wavelengths (4.3 $μ$m vs 4.7 $μ$m), and our retrieval analysis finds that different gas species can explain these features in the two reductions (CO$_2$ at $3.1σ$ compared to O$_3$ at $2.9σ$), suggesting that they are not real astrophysical signals. Our forward model analysis rules out a low mean molecular weight atmosphere ($< 350\times$ solar metallicity) to at least $3σ$, and disfavors CH$_4$-dominated atmospheres at $1-3σ$, depending on the reduction. Instead, the forward models find our transmission spectra are consistent with no atmosphere, a hazy atmosphere, or an atmosphere containing a species that does not have prominent molecular bands across the NIRCam/F444W bandpass, such as a water-dominated atmosphere. Our results demonstrate the unequivocal need for two or more transit observations analyzed with multiple reduction pipelines, alongside rigorous statistical tests, to determine the robustness of molecular detections for small exoplanet atmospheres.

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arXiv2023

Double Trouble: Two Transits of the Super-Earth GJ 1132 b Observed with JWST NIRSpec G395H

The search for rocky planet atmospheres with JWST has focused on planets transiting M dwarfs. Such planets have favorable planet-to-star size ratios, enhancing the amplitude of atmospheric features. Since the expected signal strength of atmospheric features is similar to the single-transit performance of JWST, multiple observations are required to confirm any detection. Here, we present two transit observations of the rocky planet GJ 1132 b with JWST NIRSpec G395H, covering 2.8-5.2 $μ$m. Previous HST WFC3 observations of GJ 1132 b were inconclusive, with evidence reported for either an atmosphere or a featureless spectrum based on analyses of the same dataset. Our JWST data exhibit substantial differences between the two visits. One transit is consistent with either a H$_2$O-dominated atmosphere containing ~1% CH$_4$ and trace N$_2$O ($χ^{2}_ν$ = 1.13) or stellar contamination from unocculted starspots ($χ^{2}_ν$ = 1.36). However, the second transit is consistent with a featureless spectrum. Neither visit is consistent with a previous report of HCN. Atmospheric variability is unlikely to explain the scale of the observed differences between the visits. Similarly, our out-of-transit stellar spectra show no evidence of changing stellar inhomogeneity between the two visits - observed 8 days apart, only 6.5% of the stellar rotation rate. We further find no evidence of differing instrumental systematic effects between visits. The most plausible explanation is an unlucky random noise draw leading to two significantly discrepant transmission spectra. Our results highlight the importance of multi-visit repeatability with JWST prior to claiming atmospheric detections for these small, enigmatic planets.

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