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Optical hydrogen absorption consistent with a bow shock around the hot Jupiter HD 189733 b

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2016

P. Wilson Cauley
Affiliation:
Van vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, 96 Foss Hill Dr., Middletown, CT 06457, USA email: [email protected]
Seth Redfield
Affiliation:
Van vleck Observatory, Wesleyan University, 96 Foss Hill Dr., Middletown, CT 06457, USA email: [email protected]
Adam G. Jensen
Affiliation:
University of Nebraska-Kearneyand Department of Physics & Physical Science, 2401 11th Avenue, Kearney, NE 68849, USA
Travis Barman
Affiliation:
University of Arizonaand Department of Planetary Sciences and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, 1629 E University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Michael Endl
Affiliation:
The University of Texasat Austin and Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, 2515 Speedway, C1400, Austin, TX 78712, USA
William D. Cochran
Affiliation:
The University of Texasat Austin and Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, 2515 Speedway, C1400, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Abstract

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Hot Jupiters, i.e., Jupiter-mass planets with orbital semi major axes of <10 stellar radii, can interact strongly with their host stars. If the planet is moving supersonically through the stellar wind, a bow shock will form ahead of the planet where the planetary magnetosphere slams into the the stellar wind or where the planetary outflow and stellar wind meet. Here we present high resolution spectra of the hydrogen Balmer lines for a single transit of the hot Jupiter HD 189733 b. Transmission spectra of the Balmer lines show strong absorption ~70 minutes before the predicted optical transit, implying a significant column density of excited hydrogen orbiting ahead of the planet. We show that a simple geometric bow shock model is able to reproduce the important features of the absorption time series while simultaneously matching the line profile morphology. Our model suggests a large planetary magnetic field strength of ~28 G. Follow-up observations are needed to confirm the pre-transit signal and investigate any variability in the measurement.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2016 

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