VUV-absorption cross section of carbon dioxide from 150 to 800 K and applications to warm exoplanetary atmospheres
Venot, O; Bénilan, Y; Fray, N; et al.Gazeau, M-C; Lefèvre, F; Es-sebbar, E-T; Hébrard, E; Schwell, M; Bahrini, C; Montmessin, F; Lefèvre, M; Waldmann, IP
Date: 2017
Journal
stronomy and Astrophysics
Publisher
EDP Sciences
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Abstract
Most exoplanets detected so far have atmospheric T significantly higher than 300K. Often close to their star, they receive an intense UV photons flux that triggers important photodissociation processes. The T dependency of VUV absorption cross sections are poorly known, leading to an undefined uncertainty in atmospheric models. Similarly, ...
Most exoplanets detected so far have atmospheric T significantly higher than 300K. Often close to their star, they receive an intense UV photons flux that triggers important photodissociation processes. The T dependency of VUV absorption cross sections are poorly known, leading to an undefined uncertainty in atmospheric models. Similarly, data measured at low T similar to that of the high atmosphere of Mars, Venus, and Titan are often lacking. Our aim is to quantify the T dependency of the abs. cross section of important molecules in planetary atmospheres. We want to provide both high-resolution data at T prevailing in these media and a simple parameterization of the absorption in order to simplify its use in photochemical models. This study focuses on carbon dioxide. We performed experimental measurements of CO$_2$ absorption cross section with synchrotron radiation for the wavelength range (115--200nm). For longer wavelengths (195--230nm), we used a deuterium lamp and a 1.5m Jobin-Yvon spectrometer. We used these data in our 1D thermo-photochemical model in order to study their impact on the predicted atmospheric compositions. The cross section of CO$_2$ increases with T. It can be separated in two parts: a continuum and a fine structure superimposed on the continuum. The variation of the continuum of absorption can be represented by the sum of three gaussian functions. Using data at high T in thermo-photochemical models modifies significantly the abundance and the photodissociation rates of many species, in addition to CO$_2$, such as methane and ammonia. These deviations have an impact on synthetic transmission spectra, leading to variations of up to 5 ppm. We present a full set of HR ($\Delta \lambda$=0.03nm) absorption cross sections of CO$_2$ from 115 to 230nm for T ranging from 150 to 800K.
Physics and Astronomy
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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