Stacking Kepler photometry reveals a ~2 ppm out-of-transit refraction signal for planets above the period-radius valley, implying heavier mean molecular weight atmospheres than expected for clear H/He envelopes.
A Search for Refraction in Kepler Photometry of Gas Giants
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abstract
Refraction can lead to a brightening just before ingress and just after egress of a transit, as light passes through the exoplanet's atmosphere and is refracted into our line of sight. Refraction just outside of transit has been seen and modeled in our own solar system during transits of Venus. For short-period planets, the model of Sidis and Sari (2010 ApJ,720,904) implies refraction peaks typically under 100 parts per million and comparable in duration to ingress and egress. Kepler photometry currently provides the best opportunity for detecting refraction. We search for the signature of refraction just outside of transit in Kepler photometry of 45 gas giants and firmly rule out the Sidis and Sari model for four candidates.
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Exoplanet Atmospheric Refraction Effects in the Kepler Sample
Stacking Kepler photometry reveals a ~2 ppm out-of-transit refraction signal for planets above the period-radius valley, implying heavier mean molecular weight atmospheres than expected for clear H/He envelopes.