Cosmic Rays, UV Photons, and Haze Formation in the Upper Atmospheres of Hot Jupiters. Issue Volume 8:Issue S299(2013) (6th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rimmer, Paul B.; Walsh, Catherine; Helling, Christiane
• Is Part Of: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. Volume 8:Issue S299(2013)
• Page Start: 303
• Page End: 304
• Publication Date: 2014-01-06
• Subjects: cosmic rays, -- Exoplanet: atmosphere, -- astrochemistry; Astronomy -- Congresses; Astronomy -- Periodicals; 520
• DOI: 10.1017/S1743921313008703
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-9213

Abstract

Abstract: Cosmic ray ionization has been found to be a dominant mechanism for the formation of ions in dense interstellar environments. Cosmic rays are further known to initiate the highly efficient ion-neutral chemistry within star forming regions. In this talk we explore the effect of both cosmic rays and UV photons on a model hot Jupiter atmosphere using a non-equlibrium chemical network that combines reactions from the UMIST Database for Astrochemistry, the KIDA database for interstellar and protoplanetary environments and three-body and combustion reactions from the NIST database and from various irradiated gas planet networks. The physical parameters for our model atmosphere are based on HD 189733 b (Effective Temperature of 1000 K, log g = 3.3, solar metallicity, at a distance 0.03 AU from a K dwarf). The active UV photochemistry high in our model hot Jupiter atmosphere tends to destroy these hydrocarbons, but on a time-scale sufficiently slow that PAH formation could already have taken place. In most cases, carbon-bearing species formed by cosmic rays are destroyed by UV photons (e.g. C2 H2, C2 H4, HC3 N). Conversely, carbon-bearing species enhanced by an active photochemistry are depleted when cosmic ray ionization is significant (e.g. CN, HCN and CH4 ). Ammonia is an interesting exception to this trend, enhanced both by an active photochemistry and a high cosmic ray ionization rate.