arXiv subjects

Nicolas B. Cowan

Publications and source records attributed to Nicolas B. Cowan.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2026

Super-Earth masses and stellar abundances from NIRPS reveal tentative evidence for water-rich formation around M dwarfs

Tracing the compositional link between terrestrial super-Earths and their host stars provides clues to their dominant formation pathway. By constraining the stellar abundances of refractory elements, we can predict the core mass fractions (CMFs) of their super-Earths. The level of agreement between this prediction and the planetary CMF derived from their masses and radii can reveal past formation processes, like mantle stripping and water-rich formation plus sequestration in the planet's core. Here, we present the first results from the Near Infrared Planet Searcher (NIRPS) GTO CMF subprogram: an intensive radial velocity campaign to refine masses and compute host stellar abundances of three hot super- Earths around M dwarfs (GJ 1132 b, GJ 1252 b, and LTT 3780 b), calculating masses of $1.69 \pm 0.15M_\oplus$, $1.54 \pm 0.18M_\oplus$, and $2.34 \pm 0.10M_\oplus$ respectively. We measure the CMFs of these and six further hot super-Earths with precise masses already available in the literature to 10-15% precision. We compare these to CMF predictions made from measuring the Fe, Mg, and Si abundances of their host stars measured from the NIRPS spectra. We find that the CMFs of these planets are smaller than expected from their host stellar abundances, to a statistically significant degree. This discrepancy is suggestive of significant reservoirs of water, and while these planets are too hot to harbor surface water, they likely have interior water mass fractions of $\sim$1%.

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arXiv2026

Mapping atmospheric features of the planetary-mass brown dwarf SIMP 0136 with JWST NIRISS

In this paper, we analyze James Webb Space Telescope Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph time-series spectroscopy data to characterize the atmosphere of the planetary-mass brown dwarf SIMP J01365662+093347. Principal component analysis reveals that 81\% of spectral variations can be described by two components, implying that variability within a single rotational phase is induced by at least three distinct spectral regions. By comparing our data to a grid of Sonora Diamondback atmospheric models, we confirm that the time-averaged spectrum cannot be explained by a single model but require a linear combination of at least three regions. Projecting these models onto the principal component plane shows that the overall variability is highly correlated with changes in temperature, cloud coverage, and possibly effective metallicity. We also extract brightness maps from the lightcurve and establish North-South asymmetry in the atmosphere. A combined multidimensional analysis of spectro-photometric variability links the three spectral regions to three atmospheric layers. Forsterite cloud and water abundance at each level form unique harmonics of atmospheric variability observed in different spectral bands. Atmospheric retrievals on the time-averaged spectrum are consistent with an optically thick iron cloud deck beneath a patchy forsterite cloud layer and with the overall adiabatic curve. We also demonstrate two new analysis methods: a regionally-resolved spectra retrieval that relies on multi-wavelength spherical harmonics maps, and a method to constrain brightness maps using Doppler information present in the spectra. Future observations of variable brown dwarfs of higher spectral resolution or spanning multiple rotations should help break mapping degeneracy.

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arXiv2026

TOI-4552 b: A new ultra-short period rocky world revealed by NIRPS and TESS

A particularly intriguing subclass of rocky exoplanets are the ultra-short period (USP) worlds that orbit their host stars in less than a day. These planets are particularly rare around M dwarf stars, with so far only ten that have a constrained mass and radius. We present the validation and characterization of the ultra-short period (0.3-days), Earth-sized planet TOI-4552b orbiting a nearby (27.26-pc away) M4.5V dwarf. Complementing the TESS photometry, ground-based transit observations from LCO, ExTrA and SPECULOOS validated the planetary radius and cleared the field of any contaminants. Speckle imaging with Zorro (Gemini-S) rules out false positive scenarios caused by eclipsing binary sources. Spectroscopic observations with NIRPS and HARPS were used to obtain stellar abundances, constrain the planetary mass, and, in conjunction with the transit observations, estimate the orbital parameters. TOI-4552 is a quiet star exhibiting no short-term stellar variations seen in photometric or radial velocity data that can be associated to stellar rotation. TOI-4552b ($M_p=1.83\pm0.47\,M_e$, $R_p=1.11\pm0.04\,R_e$) lies between the Earth-like and iron-rich composition tracks on the Mass-Radius diagram. The EXOPIE interior structure model, without constraints from refractory abundance ratio, yields a core mass fraction (CMF) of 0.54 and a bulk density of 7.74g/cm$^3$. Since the CMF spans a wide range due to the large uncertainty on the mass, the definitive interior composition cannot be determined with the current dataset. TOI-4552b hints as being marginally more iron-rich compared to the Earth but confirmation of its status requires additional, precise radial velocity measurements. Combined with its high emission spectroscopic metric (ESM=19.5), negligible stellar activity and short orbital period, TOI-4552b emerges as a compelling target for atmospheric and surface composition studies with JWST.

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arXiv2026

Confirmation of the hot super-Neptune TOI-672 b with NIRPS and HARPS and Insights into the Neptunian desert around M dwarfs

The Neptunian desert is a distinct lack of Neptune-sized planets at short orbital periods, purportedly carved by photoevaporation and tidal circularization following high-eccentricity migration. Constraining these processes and how they vary across different host-star spectral types requires the detailed characterization of planets in the desert and around its boundaries. In this study, we confirm the planetary nature of a massive super-Neptune identified by TESS around the M0 dwarf TOI-672. We analyse photometry from TESS and ExTrA and precise radial velocity measurements taken with the recently commissioned Near-InfraRed Planet Searcher (NIRPS) and HARPS spectrographs. We measure the planetary orbital period, radius, and mass of 3.634 days, 5.31 +0.24 -0.26 Rearth, and 50.9 +4.5 -4.4 Mearth, respectively. Our findings place TOI-672 b within the Neptunian ridge, a pile-up of planets from 3--5 days at the Neptunian desert boundary. We then use a novel approach to determine the desert boundaries in period-radius space and instellation-radius space, and, for the first time, compare the Neptunian desert boundaries for planets orbiting FGK versus M dwarf stars. We determine that the boundary ridge shifts slightly inward from 3.3 +- 1.4 days for FGK host stars to 2.2 +- 1.0 days for M dwarf host stars; these values do not statistically significantly differ from each other, and the shift to shorter periods for M dwarf planets is smaller than theoretical photoevaporation models predict. We also find that TOI-672 b is a single-planet system within the sensitivity limits of our RV and TTV datasets.

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arXiv2026

NIRPS tightens the mass estimate of GJ 3090 b and detects a planet near the stellar rotation period

We present an updated characterization of the planetary system orbiting the nearby M2 dwarf GJ 3090 (TOI-177; $d = 22$ pc), based on new high-precision radial velocity (RV) observations from NIRPS and HARPS. With an orbital period of 2.85 d, the transiting sub-Neptune GJ 3090 b has a mass we refine to $4.52 \pm 0.47 M_{\oplus}$, which, combined with our derived radius of $2.18 \pm 0.06 R_{\oplus}$, yields a density of $2.40^{+0.33}_{-0.30}$ g cm$^{-3}$. The combined interior structure and atmospheric constraints indicate that GJ 3090 b is a compelling water-world candidate, with a volatile-rich envelope in which water likely represents a significant fraction. We also confirm the presence of a second planet, GJ 3090 c, a sub-Neptune with a 15.9 d orbit and a minimum mass of $10.0 \pm 1.3 M_{\oplus}$, which does not transit. Despite its proximity to the star's 18 d rotation period, our joint analysis using a multidimensional Gaussian process (GP) model that incorporates TESS photometry and differential stellar temperature measurements distinguishes this planetary signal from activity-induced variability. In addition, we place new constraints on a non-transiting planet candidate with a period of 12.7 d, suggested in earlier RV analyses. This candidate remains a compelling target for future monitoring. These results highlight the crucial role of multidimensional GP modelling in disentangling planetary signals from stellar activity, enabling the detection of a planet near the stellar rotation period that could have remained undetected with traditional approaches.

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arXiv2026

The Interpolation Constraint in the RV Analysis of M-Dwarfs Using Empirical Templates

Precise radial velocity (pRV) measurements of M dwarfs in the near-infrared (NIR) rely on empirical templates due to the lack of accurate stellar spectral models in this regime. Templates are assumed to approximate the true spectrum when constructed from many observations or in the high signal-to-noise limit. We develop a numerical simulation that generates SPIRou-like pRV observations from PHOENIX spectra, constructs empirical templates, and estimates radial velocities. This simulation solely considers photon noise and evaluates when empirical templates remain reliable for pRV analysis. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized noise source in templates created from stacking registered observations, establishing a noise floor for such template-based pRV measurements. We find that these templates inherently include distortions in stellar line shapes due to imperfect interpolation at the detector's sampling resolution. The magnitude of this interpolation error depends on sampling resolution and RV content. Consequently, for stars with higher RV content, such as cooler M-dwarfs, interpolation noise has a larger relative impact, making their performance comparable to hotter M-dwarfs when using detectors with low sampling. For a typical M4V star, SPIRou's spectral and sampling resolution imposes an RV uncertainty floor of 0.5-0.8 m/s, independent of the star's magnitude or the telescope's aperture. These findings reveal a limitation of template-based pRV methods, underscoring the need for improved spectral modeling and better-than-Nyquist detector sampling to reach the next level of RV precision.

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arXiv2026

On the synergetic use of Ariel and JWST for exoplanet atmospheric science

This paper explores the potential for strategic synergies between the JWST and the Ariel telescopes, two flagship observatories poised to revolutionise the study of exoplanet atmospheres. Both telescopes have the potential to address common fundamental questions about exoplanets-especially concerning their nature and origins-and serve a growing scientific community. With their operations now anticipated to overlap, starting from 2030, there is a unique opportunity to enhance the scientific outputs of both observatories through coordinated efforts. In this report, authored by the Ariel-JWST Synergy Working Group, part of the Ariel Consortium Science Team, we summarise the capabilities of JWST and Ariel; we highlight their key differences, similarities, synergies, and distinctive strengths. Ariel is designed to conduct a broad survey of exoplanet atmospheres but remains highly flexible, allowing the mission to integrate insights from JWST's discoveries. Findings from JWST, including data from initiatives shaped by NASA's decadal survey priorities and community-driven research themes, will inform the development of Ariel's core survey strategy. Conversely, Ariel's ability to perform broad-wavelength coverage observations for bright targets provides complementary avenues for exoplanet researchers, particularly those interested in time-domain observations and large-scale atmospheric studies. This paper identifies key pathways for fostering JWST-Ariel synergies, many of which can be initiated even before Ariel's launch. Leveraging their complementary designs and scopes, JWST and Ariel can jointly address fundamental questions about the nature, formation, and evolution of exoplanets. Such strategic collaboration has the potential to maximise the scientific returns of both observatories and lay the foundation for future facilities in the roadmap to exoplanet exploration.

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arXiv2026

Mapping the Cloud-Driven Atmospheric Dynamics & Chemistry of an Isolated Exoplanet Analog with Harmonic Signatures

Young planetary-mass objects and brown dwarfs near the L/T spectral transition exhibit enhanced spectrophotometric variability over field brown dwarfs. Patchy clouds, auroral processes, stratospheric hot spots, and complex carbon chemistry have all been proposed as potential sources of this variability. Using time-resolved, low-to-mid-resolution spectroscopy collected with the JWST/NIRISS and NIRSpec instruments, we apply harmonic analysis to SIMP J013656.5+093347, a highly variable, young, isolated planetary-mass object. Odd harmonics (k = 3) at pressure levels ~ 1 bar, corresponding to iron and forsterite cloud formation, suggest a potential North-South hemispheric asymmetry in the cloudy, and likely equatorial, regions. We use the inferred harmonics, along with 1-D substellar atmospheric models, to map the flux variability by atmospheric pressure level. We identify distinct time-varying structures in the near-infrared that we interpret as planetary-scale wave (e.g., Rossby or Kelvin)-associated cloud modulation. We detect deviations from bulk (composite) variability in water (S/N = 14.0), carbon monoxide (S/N = 13.0), and methane (S/N = 14.9) molecular signatures. Forsterite cloud modulation is anti-correlated with overlying carbon monoxide and water abundances and correlated with deep methane absorption, suggesting complex interaction between cloud formation, atmospheric chemistry, and temperature structure. Furthermore, we identify distinct harmonic behavior between methane and carbon monoxide absorption bands, providing evidence for time-resolved disequilibrium carbon chemistry. At the lowest pressures (< 100 mbar), we find mapped methane lines transition from absorption to emission, supporting evidence of high-altitude auroral heating via electron precipitation.

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arXiv2025

TOI-3288 b and TOI-4666 b: two gas giants transiting low-mass stars characterised by NIRPS

Gas giant planets orbiting low-mass stars are uncommon outcomes of planet formation. Increasing the sample of well-characterised giants around early M dwarfs will enable population-level studies of their properties, offering valuable insights into their formation and evolutionary histories. We aim to characterise giant exoplanets transiting M dwarfs identified by TESS. High-resolution spectroscopic data are obtained in the optical and nIR, combining HARPS and NIRPS. We derive RVs via the cross-correlation function and implement a novel post-processing procedure to further mitigate telluric contamination in the nIR. The resulting RVs are jointly fit with TESS and ground-based photometry to derive the orbital and physical parameters of the systems. We confirm two gas giants transiting the low-mass stars TOI-3288 A (K9V) and TOI-4666 (M2.5V). TOI-3288 A hosts a Hot Jupiter with a mass of $2.11\pm0.08~M_{\rm Jup}$ and a radius of $1.00 \pm 0.03~R_{\rm Jup}$, with an orbital period of 1.43 days ($T_{\rm eq} = 1059 \pm 20~{\rm K}$). TOI-4666 hosts a $0.70_{-0.06}^{+0.05}~M_{\rm Jup}$ warm Jupiter ($T_{\rm eq} = 713 \pm 14~{\rm K}$) with a radius of $1.11 \pm 0.04~R_{\rm Jup}$, and an orbital period of 2.91 days. We identify a decrease in planetary mass with spectral type, where late M dwarfs host less massive giant planets than early M dwarfs. More massive gas giants that deviate from this trend are preferentially hosted by more metal-rich stars. Furthermore, we find an increased binarity fraction among low-mass stars hosting gas giants, which may play a role in enhancing giant planet formation around low-mass stars. The observed population trends agree with theoretical expectations, where higher metallicity can compensate for lower disk masses, and wide binary systems may influence planet formation and migration through Kozai-Lidov cycles or disk instabilities.

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arXiv2025

Diversity in the haziness and chemistry of temperate sub-Neptunes

Recent transit observations of K2-18b and TOI-270d revealed strong molecular absorption signatures, lending credence to the idea that temperate sub-Neptunes (T$_\mathrm{eq}$=250-400K) have upper atmospheres mostly free of aerosols. These observations also indicated higher-than-expected CO$_2$ abundances on both planets, implying bulk compositions with high water mass fractions. However, it remains unclear whether these findings hold true for all temperate sub-Neptunes. Here, we present the JWST NIRSpec/PRISM 0.7-5.4$\mathbfμ$m transmission spectrum of a third temperate sub-Neptune, the 2.4R$_\oplus$ planet LP 791-18c (T$_\mathrm{eq}$=355K), which is even more favorable for atmospheric characterization thanks to its small M6 host star. Intriguingly, despite LP 791-18c's radius, mass, and equilibrium temperature being in between those of K2-18b and TOI-270d, we find a drastically different transmission spectrum. While we also detect methane on LP 791-18c, its transit spectrum is dominated by strong haze scattering and there is no discernible CO$_2$ absorption. Overall, we infer a deep metal-enriched atmosphere (246-415$\times$solar) for LP 791-18c, with a CO$_2$-to-CH$_4$ ratio smaller than 0.07 (at 2$σ$), indicating less H$_2$O in the deep envelope of LP 791-18c and implying a relatively dry formation inside the water ice-line. These results show that sub-Neptunes that are near-analogues in density and temperature can show drastically different aerosols and envelope chemistry, and are intrinsically diverse beyond a simple temperature dependence.

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arXiv2025

Precise Constraints on the Energy Budget of WASP-121 b from its JWST NIRISS/SOSS Phase Curve

Ultra-hot Jupiters exhibit day-to-night temperature contrasts upwards of 1000 K due to competing effects of strong winds, short radiative timescales, magnetic drag, and H2 dissociation/recombination. Spectroscopic phase curves provide critical insights into these processes by mapping temperature distributions and constraining the planet's energy budget across different pressure levels. Here, we present the first NIRISS/SOSS phase curve of an ultra-hot Jupiter, WASP-121 b. The instrument's bandpass [0.6 - 2.85 micron] captures an estimated 50-83% of the planet's bolometric flux, depending on orbital phase, allowing for unprecedented constraints on the planet's global energy budget; previous measurements with HST/WFC3 and JWST/NIRSpec/G395H captured roughly 20% of the planetary flux. Accounting for the unobserved regions of the spectrum, we estimate effective day and nightside temperatures of T_day = 2717 +/- 17 K and T_night = 1562 +/- 19 K corresponding to a Bond albedo of A_B = 0.277 +/- 0.016 and a heat recirculation efficiency of epsilon = 0.246 +/- 0.014. Matching the phase-dependent effective temperature with energy balance models yields a similar Bond albedo of 0.3 and a mixed layer pressure of 1 bar consistent with photospheric pressures, but unexpectedly slow winds of 0.2 km/s, indicative of inefficient heat redistribution. The shorter optical wavelengths of the NIRISS/SOSS Order 2 yield a geometric albedo of A_g = 0.093 +/- 0.029 (3 sigma upper limit of 0.175), reinforcing the unexplained trend of hot Jupiters exhibiting larger Bond albedos than geometric albedos. We also detect near-zero phase curve offsets for wavelengths above 1.5 micron, consistent with inefficient heat transport, while shorter wavelengths potentially sensitive to reflected light show eastward offsets.

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arXiv2025

The Albedo Problem and Cloud Cover on Hot Jupiters

Observations of transiting hot Jupiters have revealed a mismatch between the values of the Bond versus geometric albedos. In the planetary science literature, the ratio of these quantities is known as the phase integral. It has been extensively measured for the Solar System planets and shown to generally be non-unity in value. We use existing Cassini data of Jupiter to derive bandpass-integrated geometric albedos and phase integrals in the CHEOPS, TESS and Ariel bandpasses, demonstrating that these quantities vary markedly across these different wavelength ranges. By performing a population study of geometric albedos and phase integrals, we demonstrate that atmospheres with partial cloud cover may be identified using measurements of the phase integral if its measured uncertainty is $\sim 0.1$, which corresponds to an uncertainty of $\sim 3\%$ on the optical/visible secondary eclipse depth. The upcoming Ariel space mission will conduct an unprecedented statistical survey of cloud cover on hot Jupiters via the simultaneous measurement of $\sim 100$ infrared phase curves and optical secondary eclipses. Whenever available, the shape of optical phase curves of reflected light will directly constrain the phase integral, spherical albedo, degree of cloud cover and scattering asymmetry factor.

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arXiv2025

Enriched volatiles and refractories but deficient titanium on the dayside atmosphere of WASP-121b revealed by JWST/NIRISS

With dayside temperatures elevated enough for all atmospheric constituents to be present in gas form, ultra-hot Jupiters offer a unique opportunity to probe the composition of giant planets. We aim to infer the composition and thermal structure of the dayside atmosphere of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b from two NIRISS$/$SOSS secondary eclipses observed as part of a full phase curve. We extract the eclipse spectrum of WASP-121b with two independent data reduction pipelines and analyse it using different atmospheric retrieval prescriptions to explore the effects of thermal dissociation, reflected light, and titanium condensation on the inferred atmospheric properties. We find that the observed dayside spectrum of WASP-121b is best fit by atmosphere models possessing a stratospheric inversion with temperatures reaching over 3000K, with spectral contributions from H2O, CO, VO, H-, and either TiO or reflected light. We measure the atmosphere of WASP-121b to be metal enriched (~10x stellar) but comparatively titanium poor (~1x stellar), potentially due to partial cold-trapping. The inferred C/O depends on model assumptions such as whether reflected light is included, ranging from being consistent with stellar if a geometric albedo of zero is assumed to being super-stellar for a freely fitted Ag = 0.16 +/- 0.02. The volatile-to-refractory ratio is measured to be consistent with the stellar value. We infer that WASP-121b has an atmosphere enriched in both volatile and refractory metals, but not in ultra-refractory titanium, suggesting the presence of a nightside cold-trap. Considering H2O dissociation is critical in free retrieval analyses, leading to order-of-magnitude differences in retrieved abundances for WASP-121b if neglected. Simple chemical equilibrium retrievals assuming that all species are governed by a single metallicity parameter drastically overpredict the TiO abundance.

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arXiv2025

Rock vapour is opaque: implications for dynamics and observations of lava planets

Extreme instellation on lava planets causes the rocky surface to melt and vaporize. Because the rock vapour composition is intrinsically tied to the mantle, atmospheric characterization of lava planets can hold valuable insight into the interior processes of rocky planets. To help interpret current data and strategize for future observations, we develop the model SonicVapour to simulate the dynamics of chemically complex secondary atmosphere of lava planets. We find that for planets with surface temperatures exceeding 2700 K, the rock vapour outgassed is optically thick, making the atmosphere vertically isothermal thus suppressing convection and severely limiting atmospheric detection via emission spectroscopy. In contrast, cooler planets with surfaces between 2300 K - 2700 K have an atmospheric opacity close to 50% and produce distinct spectral features. Counter-intuitively, therefore, cooler lava planet atmospheres are easier to detect. Our results ultimately emphasize the importance of considering atmospheric "detectability" in tandem with signal-to-noise for future observation programs.

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arXiv2025

Maximizing Ariel's Survey Leverage for Population-Level Studies of Exoplanets

ESA's Ariel mission will be uniquely suited to performing population-level studies of exoplanets. Most of these studies consist of quantifying trends between an Ariel-measured quantity, y, and an a priori planetary property, x; for example, atmospheric metallicity as inferred from Ariel transit spectroscopy vs. planetary mass. The precision with which we can quantify such trends depends on the number of targets in the survey and their variance in the a priori parameter. We define the leverage of a survey with N targets as L = sqrt(N)stdev(x) and show that it quantitatively predicts the precision of population-level trends. The target selection challenge of Ariel can therefore be summarized as maximizing L along some axes of diversity for a given cumulative observing time. To this end, we consider different schemes to select the mission reference sample for a notional three year transit spectroscopy survey with Ariel. We divide the exoplanets in the mission candidate sample into logarithmic classes based on radius, equilibrium temperature and host star temperature. We then construct a target list by cyclically choosing the easiest remaining target in each class. We find that the leverage on a single axis of diversity can be increased by dividing that axis into many classes, but this sacrifices leverage along other axes of diversity. We conclude that a modest number of classes, possibly only one, should be defined when selecting Ariel targets. Lastly, we note that the statistical leverage of the Ariel transit survey would be significantly increased if current candidate planets were confirmed. This highlights the urgency of vetting and confirming the easiest transmission and emission spectroscopy targets in the Ariel mission candidate sample.

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arXiv2025

NIRPS and TESS reveal a peculiar system around the M dwarf TOI-756: A transiting sub-Neptune and a cold eccentric giant

The Near InfraRed Planet Searcher (NIRPS) joined HARPS on the 3.6-m ESO telescope at La Silla Observatory in April 2023, dedicating part of its Guaranteed Time Observations (GTO) program to the radial velocity follow-up of TESS planet candidates to confirm and characterize transiting planets around M dwarfs. We report the first results of this program with the characterization of the TOI-756 system, which consists of TOI-756 b, a transiting sub-Neptune candidate detected by TESS, as well as TOI-756 c, an additional non-transiting planet discovered by NIRPS and HARPS. TOI-756 b is a 1.24-day period sub-Neptune with a radius of 2.81 $\pm$ 0.10 $R_\oplus$ and a mass of 9.8$^{+1.8}_{-1.6}$ $M_\oplus$. TOI-756 c is a cold eccentric (e$_c$ = 0.45 $\pm$ 0.01) giant planet orbiting with a period of 149.6 days around its star with a minimum mass of 4.05 $\pm$ 0.11 $M_\mathrm{jup}$. Additionally, a linear trend of 146$~\mathrm{m\,s}^{-1}\,\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$ is visible in the radial velocities, hinting at a third component, possibly in the planetary or brown dwarf regime. This system is unique in the exoplanet landscape, standing as the first confirmed example of such a planetary architecture around an M dwarf. With a density of 2.42 $\pm$ 0.49 g cm$^{-3}$, the inner planet, TOI-756 b, is a volatile-rich sub-Neptune. Assuming a pure H/He envelope, we inferred an atmospheric mass fraction of 0.023 and a core mass fraction of 0.27, which is well constrained by stellar refractory abundances derived from NIRPS spectra. It falls within the still poorly explored radius cliff and at the lower boundary of the Neptune desert, making it a prime target for a future atmospheric characterization with JWST to improve our understanding of this population.

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arXiv2025

A complex structure of escaping helium spanning more than half the orbit of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121\,b

Atmospheric escape of planets on short orbital periods, driven by the host star's irradiation, influences their evolution, composition, and atmospheric dynamics. Our main avenue to probe atmospheric escape is through the near-infrared metastable helium triplet, which has enabled mass loss rate measurements for tens of exoplanets. Among them, only a few studies show evidence for out-of-transit absorption, supporting the presence of a hydrodynamic outflow. However, none of these observations precisely identified the physical extent of the outflow, either due to non-continuous or short-duration observations. This limits our measurements of accurate mass loss rates. Here we present the first continuous, full-orbit helium phase curve monitoring of an exoplanet, the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121b, obtained with JWST/NIRISS. It reveals helium absorption for nearly 60% of the orbit at >3sigma significance. Our results show that WASP-121b sustains a strong outflow, separating into two tails trailing and leading the planet. The persistent absorption from these tails, together with their measured radial velocity shifts, suggests that they remain in a collisional fluid regime at large distances from the planet and display very different dynamics. The leading trail has a higher density and moves toward the star, whereas the trailing trail is being pushed away from the star, with the latter being blue-shifted due to stellar irradiation pressure. While qualitatively agreeing with theoretical expectations, the observed structure of helium is not self-consistently reproducible by current models, limiting constraints on the mass loss rate. Furthermore, we show that while ground-based observations of the helium triplet are essential to measure the outflow dynamics precisely, they ideally should be combined with continuous JWST phase curves to constrain the absolute level of helium absorption.

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arXiv2025

Testing the Origin of Hot Jupiters with Atmospheric Surveys

In spite of their long detection history, the origin of hot Jupiters remains to be resolved. While multiple dynamical evidence suggests high-eccentricity migration is most likely, conflicts remain when considering hot Jupiters as a population in the context of warm and cold Jupiters. Here, we turn to atmospheric signatures as an alternative mean to test the origin theory of hot Jupiters, focusing on population level trends that arise from post-formation pollution, motivated by the upcoming Ariel space mission whose goal is to deliver a uniform sample of exoplanet atmospheric constraints. We experiment with post-formation pollution by planetesimal accretion, pebble accretion, and disk-induced migration and find that an observable signature of post-formation pollution is only possible under pebble accretion in metal-heavy disks. If most hot Jupiters arrive at their present orbit by high-eccentricity migration while warm Jupiters emerge largely in situ, we expect the atmospheric water abundance of hot Jupiters to be significantly elevated compared to warm Jupiters. We report on the detectability of such signatures and further provide suggestions for future comparative atmospheric characterization between hot Jupiters and wide-orbit directly imaged planets to elucidate the properties of the dust substructures in protoplanetary disks.

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