Atmospheric Characterisation with the Twinkle Space Telescope Following Advances from JWST Observations

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Hauptverfasser: Zhang, Tailong, Wilcock, Benjamin, Ma, Sushuang, Tinetti, Giovanna, Bradley, Lawrence, Stotesbury, Ian, Tessenyi, Marcell, Tennyson, Jonathan
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2025
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author Zhang, Tailong
Wilcock, Benjamin
Ma, Sushuang
Tinetti, Giovanna
Bradley, Lawrence
Stotesbury, Ian
Tessenyi, Marcell
Tennyson, Jonathan
author_facet Zhang, Tailong
Wilcock, Benjamin
Ma, Sushuang
Tinetti, Giovanna
Bradley, Lawrence
Stotesbury, Ian
Tessenyi, Marcell
Tennyson, Jonathan
contents The Twinkle Space Telescope is a satellite designed for spectroscopic observations of a wide range of extrasolar and solar system objects. Equipped with a 0.45 m diameter telescope and a spectrometer covering from 0.5 to 4.5 μm simultaneously, Twinkle will be launched in a sun-synchronous, low-Earth orbit, and it is expected to operate for seven years. Twinkle is developed, managed and operated by Blue Skies Space (BSSL), a space science data company whose vision is to accelerate and expand the availability of new, high-quality datasets to researchers worldwide, complementing the space-observatories delivered by government space agencies. Over its life-time, Twinkle will conduct large-scale survey programs. The scientific objectives and observational strategy of these surveys are defined by researchers who join the Science Team. Leveraging advances made possible by recent observations with the James Webb Space Telescope, we present here updated simulations evaluating Twinkle's observational capabilities in the context of exoplanet atmospheres. Through retrieval analyses of HD 209458 b, WASP-107 b, GJ 3470 b, and 55 Cnc e, we demonstrate how increasing observational investment enhances the retrieval of atmospheric parameters and molecular abundances. Our sensitivity study highlights Twinkle's capability to detect less abundant/detectable molecules depending on the observing strategies adopted. This work provides practical guidance for developing targeted observational strategies to maximize Twinkle's scientific return.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_10386
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Atmospheric Characterisation with the Twinkle Space Telescope Following Advances from JWST Observations
Zhang, Tailong
Wilcock, Benjamin
Ma, Sushuang
Tinetti, Giovanna
Bradley, Lawrence
Stotesbury, Ian
Tessenyi, Marcell
Tennyson, Jonathan
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
The Twinkle Space Telescope is a satellite designed for spectroscopic observations of a wide range of extrasolar and solar system objects. Equipped with a 0.45 m diameter telescope and a spectrometer covering from 0.5 to 4.5 μm simultaneously, Twinkle will be launched in a sun-synchronous, low-Earth orbit, and it is expected to operate for seven years. Twinkle is developed, managed and operated by Blue Skies Space (BSSL), a space science data company whose vision is to accelerate and expand the availability of new, high-quality datasets to researchers worldwide, complementing the space-observatories delivered by government space agencies. Over its life-time, Twinkle will conduct large-scale survey programs. The scientific objectives and observational strategy of these surveys are defined by researchers who join the Science Team. Leveraging advances made possible by recent observations with the James Webb Space Telescope, we present here updated simulations evaluating Twinkle's observational capabilities in the context of exoplanet atmospheres. Through retrieval analyses of HD 209458 b, WASP-107 b, GJ 3470 b, and 55 Cnc e, we demonstrate how increasing observational investment enhances the retrieval of atmospheric parameters and molecular abundances. Our sensitivity study highlights Twinkle's capability to detect less abundant/detectable molecules depending on the observing strategies adopted. This work provides practical guidance for developing targeted observational strategies to maximize Twinkle's scientific return.
title Atmospheric Characterisation with the Twinkle Space Telescope Following Advances from JWST Observations
topic Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.10386