Princeton University Extrasolar Planet Discussion Group
The Interplay Between Stellar Flares and Infrared Transmission Spectroscopy to Trace Exoplanet Atmospheric Chemistry and Mass Loss
High energy stellar irradiation is believed to control atmospheric chemistry in and mass loss of short-period planets. These effects are intensified in the earliest stages of planetary evolution because young stars are more active and produce extreme levels of X-ray and Ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Observational constraints on star-planet interactions for short-period planets provide insight into the earliest evolutionary stages of the ~5000 older extrasolar planets currently identified. In this talk, I will present several benchmark studies of early stage activity and star planet interactions that draw upon UV, optical, and infrared wavelength observations. I will present the results of five hours of Far-UV observations of the 25 Myr M dwarf AU Mic obtained by the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. To interpret these observations in the context of AU Mic b and c, I will present models of flare-driven atmospheric escape and modeled infrared transmission spectra , relevant for future atmospheric characterization with JWST. Finally, I will present the infrared transmission spectrum of WASP-39b as observed with the Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) on JWST, which I have been leading as part of the JWST Early Release Science program.