Principle Investigator: Bjorn Benneke, University of Montreal, Department of Physics, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Program Summary:
Spectroscopic phase curves are the ultimate tool to characterize exoplanets. Not only do they provide the atmospheric composition which is fundamental to our understanding of the nature and origin of giant planets, they also present an excellent diagnostic tool to probe the physical and chemical processes that govern the planetary climate. Despite this consensus on their incredible diagnostic power, high-resolution emission spectroscopy of exoplanets has remained almost exclusive limited to the dayside. Here, we propose a survey program to leverage dozens of hours of existing Gemini/IGRINS dayside observations of close-in exoplanets and supplement them with eastern and western nightside observations. The resulting sample of phase-curves will present the best high-resolution dataset to date to probe the chemical and dynamical processes governing planetary atmospheres and the dayside-to-nightside heat redistribution of hot Jupiters. In total, we will build up a sample of 7 four-quadrant hot-Jupiter phase curves for planets covering equilibrium temperature between 1100K and 4000K.
Co-Investigators:
- Stefan Pelletier: University of Montreal
- Caroline Piaulet: University of Montreal
- Romain Allart: University of Montreal
- Luc Bazinet: University of Montreal
- Anne Boucher: McGill University
- Nicholas Cowan: McGill University
- Antoine Darveau-Bernier: University of Montreal
- Lisa Dang: University of Montreal
- Louis-Philippe Coulombe: University of Montreal
- David Lafreniere: University of Montreal
- Etienne Artigau: University of Montreal
- Vigneshwaran Krishnamurthy: McGill University
- Joost Wardenier: Oxford University