Constraints on the possible atmospheres on TRAPPIST-1 b: insights from 3D climate modeling

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Maurel, Alice, Turbet, Martin, Ducrot, Elsa, Leconte, Jérémy, Chaverot, Guillaume, Milcareck, Gwenael, Revol, Alexandre, Charnay, Benjamin, Fauchez, J. Thomas, Gillon, Michaël, Mechineau, Alexandre, Bolmont, Emeline, Millour, Ehouarn, Selsis, Franck, Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe, Drossart, Pierre
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Maurel, Alice
Turbet, Martin
Ducrot, Elsa
Leconte, Jérémy
Chaverot, Guillaume
Milcareck, Gwenael
Revol, Alexandre
Charnay, Benjamin
Fauchez, J. Thomas
Gillon, Michaël
Mechineau, Alexandre
Bolmont, Emeline
Millour, Ehouarn
Selsis, Franck
Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe
Drossart, Pierre
author_facet Maurel, Alice
Turbet, Martin
Ducrot, Elsa
Leconte, Jérémy
Chaverot, Guillaume
Milcareck, Gwenael
Revol, Alexandre
Charnay, Benjamin
Fauchez, J. Thomas
Gillon, Michaël
Mechineau, Alexandre
Bolmont, Emeline
Millour, Ehouarn
Selsis, Franck
Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe
Drossart, Pierre
contents JWST observations of the secondary eclipse of TRAPPIST-1 b at 12.8 and 15 microns revealed a very bright dayside. These measurements are consistent with an absence of atmosphere. Previous 1D atmospheric modeling also excludes -- at first sight -- CO2-rich atmospheres. However, only a subset of the possible atmosphere types has been explored and ruled out to date. Recently, a full thermal phase curve of the planet at 15 microns with JWST has also been observed, allowing for more information on the thermal structure of the planet. We first looked for atmospheres capable of producing a dayside emission compatible with secondary eclipse observations. We then tried to determine which of these are compatible with the observed thermal phase curve. We used a 1D radiative-convective model and a 3D global climate model (GCM) to simulate a wide range of atmospheric compositions and surface pressures. We then produced observables from these simulations and compared them to available emission observations. We found several families of atmospheres compatible at 2-sigma with the eclipse observations. Among them, some feature a flat phase curve and can be ruled out with the observation, and some produce a phase curve still compatible with the data (i.e., thin N2-CO2 atmospheres, and CO2 atmospheres rich in hazes). We also highlight different 3D effects that could not be predicted from 1D studies (redistribution efficiency, atmospheric collapse). The available observations of TRAPPIST-1 b are consistent with an airless planet, which is the most likely scenario. A second possibility is a thin CO2-poor residual atmosphere. However, our study shows that different atmospheric scenarios can result in a high eclipse depth at 15 microns. It may therefore be hazardous, in general, to conclude on the presence of an atmosphere from a single photometric point.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_02120
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Constraints on the possible atmospheres on TRAPPIST-1 b: insights from 3D climate modeling
Maurel, Alice
Turbet, Martin
Ducrot, Elsa
Leconte, Jérémy
Chaverot, Guillaume
Milcareck, Gwenael
Revol, Alexandre
Charnay, Benjamin
Fauchez, J. Thomas
Gillon, Michaël
Mechineau, Alexandre
Bolmont, Emeline
Millour, Ehouarn
Selsis, Franck
Beaulieu, Jean-Philippe
Drossart, Pierre
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
JWST observations of the secondary eclipse of TRAPPIST-1 b at 12.8 and 15 microns revealed a very bright dayside. These measurements are consistent with an absence of atmosphere. Previous 1D atmospheric modeling also excludes -- at first sight -- CO2-rich atmospheres. However, only a subset of the possible atmosphere types has been explored and ruled out to date. Recently, a full thermal phase curve of the planet at 15 microns with JWST has also been observed, allowing for more information on the thermal structure of the planet. We first looked for atmospheres capable of producing a dayside emission compatible with secondary eclipse observations. We then tried to determine which of these are compatible with the observed thermal phase curve. We used a 1D radiative-convective model and a 3D global climate model (GCM) to simulate a wide range of atmospheric compositions and surface pressures. We then produced observables from these simulations and compared them to available emission observations. We found several families of atmospheres compatible at 2-sigma with the eclipse observations. Among them, some feature a flat phase curve and can be ruled out with the observation, and some produce a phase curve still compatible with the data (i.e., thin N2-CO2 atmospheres, and CO2 atmospheres rich in hazes). We also highlight different 3D effects that could not be predicted from 1D studies (redistribution efficiency, atmospheric collapse). The available observations of TRAPPIST-1 b are consistent with an airless planet, which is the most likely scenario. A second possibility is a thin CO2-poor residual atmosphere. However, our study shows that different atmospheric scenarios can result in a high eclipse depth at 15 microns. It may therefore be hazardous, in general, to conclude on the presence of an atmosphere from a single photometric point.
title Constraints on the possible atmospheres on TRAPPIST-1 b: insights from 3D climate modeling
topic Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.02120