ArXiv TLDR

Panchromatic View of the Frigid Jovian Exoplanet COCONUTS-2 b

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2604.07176

Matthieu Ravet, Mickaël Bonnefoy, Gaël Chauvin, Zhoujian Zhang, Jacqueline K. Faherty + 22 more

astro-ph.EP

TLDR

New JWST MIRI data provides a panchromatic view of exoplanet COCONUTS-2 b, precisely characterizing its atmosphere and fundamental properties.

Key contributions

  • Combined JWST MIRI, NIRSpec, Gemini, WISE, and Spitzer data for 1-15 μm coverage of COCONUTS-2 b.
  • Detected prominent molecular features of H2O, CH4, and NH3 in the exoplanet's atmosphere.
  • Derived precise T_eff, log(g), metallicity, radius, and luminosity using ATMO2020++ models.
  • Determined the exoplanet's mass to be 7.3 ± 0.3 M_jup by combining luminosity with age.

Why it matters

This study provides the most comprehensive view yet of the frigid Jovian exoplanet COCONUTS-2 b, leveraging extensive JWST data. The precise atmospheric and fundamental property measurements significantly advance our understanding of cold exoplanet characterization and evolution. This work sets a new benchmark for studying directly imaged exoplanets.

Original Abstract

We use a high signal-to-noise MIRI-LRS spectrum (5.45 - 11 $μ$m, R$_λ$ $\sim100$) of COCONUTS-2~b revealing prominent molecular features of H$_2$O, CH$_4$ and NH$_3$. This dataset is combined with spectra from Gemini/FLAMINGOS-2 and JWST/NIRSpec (G395H), as well as photometry from WISE and Spitzer, resulting in almost continuous wavelength coverage from 1 to 15 $μ$m. We analyze the data using five grids of self-consistent atmospheric models, spanning a wide range of T$_\text{eff}$, log(g), and [M/H]. We also investigate the use of Gaussian Processes to account for correlated noise either caused by the spectrograph or by systematic departures of models in the inversion framework. All models manage to fit the overall combined observations but predict fainter flux in Y- and N-bands. Classical model comparison suggests that the ATMO2020++ synthetic specra (with and without PH$_3$) are statistically preferred. Fitting for the correlated noise of the three spectroscopic instruments, ATMO2020++ models yields constraints consistent with previous studies and evolutionary models predictions: T$_\text{eff}$ $=496^{+5}_{-3}$ K, log(g) $=4.30^{+0.04}_{-0.02}$ dex, [M/H] $=-0.02^{+0.03}_{-0.02}$ dex, and R $=1.03^{+0.01}_{-0.02}$ R$_\text{jup}$. The extended wavelength coverage provided by MIRI (accounting for 41% of the bolometric flux) completes the SED, yielding a precise luminosity estimation of log(L/L$_{\odot}$) $=-6.166\pm0.002$ dex. Combined with a previous estimate of the system age ($414\pm23$ Myr), cooling models predict a mass of M $=7.3\pm0.3$ M$_\text{jup}$.

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