Atmospheric escape in the young transiting planet DS Tuc A b
Abstract
The recent discovery of the transiting young (45 Myr) planet DS Tuc A b around a bright and nearby solar-type star provides a unique opportunity to study the role of atmospheric escape in the early lives of warm Neptunes. One of the explanations for the lack of hot Neptune-sized planets is atmospheric escape, which is expected to be most important during the first 100 Myr after formation. In this program, we aim to detect and interpret the atmospheric escape of DS Tuc A b using Lyman-alpha transmission spectroscopy. Owing to its strong irradiation at a young age, we estimate that the escape rate of this planet is orders of magnitude larger than other warm Neptunes with previous detections. The stellar Lyman-alpha emission can be readily observed by HST/STIS due to the short distance of the star and its young age. The outcomes of this program will provide the first observational constraints for atmospheric escape models in young Neptune-sized exoplanets, as well as the lower-atmosphere composition of DS Tuc A b. The results will also be fundamental to future efforts in characterizing the planet using JWST and ground-based facilities.
- Publication:
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HST Proposal
- Pub Date:
- February 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020hst..prop16085D