Transmission photometry of WASP-12b: Simultaneous measurement of the planetary radius in three bands

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dc.contributor.authorCopperwheat, Chris M.
dc.contributor.authorWheatley, P. J.
dc.contributor.authorSouthworth, J
dc.contributor.authorBento (Da Silva Bento), Joao
dc.contributor.authorMarsh, T. R.
dc.contributor.authorDhillon, Vik S.
dc.contributor.authorFortney, Jonathon
dc.contributor.authorLittlefair, Stuart P.
dc.contributor.authorHickman, R
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-29T22:53:29Z
dc.date.available2018-11-29T22:53:29Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.date.updated2018-11-29T07:53:03Z
dc.description.abstractTransmission spectroscopy has been successfully used from both the ground and in space to characterize the atmospheres of transiting exoplanets. This technique is challenging from the ground because ground-based spectrographs tend not to be designed to be photometrically stable, and effects such as variable slit losses cause significant systematic uncertainties. An alternative approach is to use simultaneous photometric observations in multiple wavebands to determine wavelength-dependent transit depth differences. We report an application of this technique to one of the hottest known exoplanets, WASP-12b, using the triple-beam camera ULTRACAM. We obtained simultaneous light curves in Sloan u, and two narrow-band filters centred on 4169 and 6010 Å, with full widths at half-maximum 52 and 118 Å, respectively. We fit these light curves with a photometric model and determine the planetary radius in the three different bands. Our data show no evidence for a difference in planetary radius over the wavelength range we study, and are consistent with an atmosphere that is dominated by Rayleigh scattering from a high-altitude haze, as well as more complicated atmosphere models which include the effects of molecules such as TiO. Our planetary radius measurements have an average precision of 2.6 per cent, compared to the ̃1.4-2.4 per cent radius differences predicted by the models over this wavelength range. We also find a consistent time of ingress and egress across our three wavebands, in contrast to the early ingress which has been reported for this system at shorter wavelengths
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.issn0035-8711
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/152487
dc.publisherBlackwell Publishing Ltd
dc.sourceMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
dc.titleTransmission photometry of WASP-12b: Simultaneous measurement of the planetary radius in three bands
dc.typeJournal article
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Accessen_AU
local.bibliographicCitation.issue1
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage670
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage661
local.contributor.affiliationCopperwheat, Chris M., Liverpool John Moores University
local.contributor.affiliationWheatley, P. J., University of Warwick
local.contributor.affiliationSouthworth, J, Keele University
local.contributor.affiliationBento (Da Silva Bento), Joao, College of Science, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationMarsh, T. R., University of Warwick
local.contributor.affiliationDhillon, Vik S., University of Sheffield
local.contributor.affiliationFortney, Jonathon, University of California
local.contributor.affiliationLittlefair, Stuart P., University of Sheffield
local.contributor.affiliationHickman, R, University of Warwick
local.contributor.authoremailu1007677@anu.edu.au
local.contributor.authoruidBento (Da Silva Bento), Joao, u1007677
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.absfor020108 - Planetary Science (excl. Extraterrestrial Geology)
local.identifier.absfor020199 - Astronomical and Space Sciences not elsewhere classified
local.identifier.ariespublicationa383154xPUB7974
local.identifier.citationvolume434
local.identifier.doi10.1093/mnras/stt1056
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-84881655121
local.identifier.thomsonID000323636800047
local.identifier.uidSubmittedBya383154
local.type.statusPublished Version

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