Clouds of dust in the atmosphere of extrasolar planets

• Applicant: Dr. Thorsten A. Carroll
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2012 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 220695496

We will search for signatures of the atmospheres of extrasolar planets during their planetarytransit event. The targets HAT-P-12b and HAT-P-18b lie in a so far unexplored atmospherictemperature range of about 1000K. The huge wavelength range covered by TWIN instrumentat Calar Alto will enable us to distinguish between a cloud-free atmosphere, an atmosphere with cloud deck, an atmosphere with a haze layer and a cloud-free atmosphere with high-altitude absorber.The spectral resolution and sensitivity will allow for the detections of atoms like Na and Kand molecules like TiO/VO and H2O. It will be the first ground-based observation of anexoplanet atmosphere covering the whole optical wavelength interval.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants