Speaker
Description
The PEPSI Exoplanet Transit Survey (PETS) is a spectroscopic survey of exoplanet transits, secondary eclipses, and host-star characterization. In this collaborative effort from AIP, MPIA, INAF, University of Arizona, Ohio State University and the LBT, a large number of targets have been observed with the goal to characterize planetary atmospheres in detail.
Towards the atmospheric characterization of smaller planets, the super-Earth exoplanet 55 Cnc e is one of the most promising terrestrial exoplanets studied to date. Here, we present a high-resolution spectroscopic transit observation of this planet within the PETS survey. Assuming the presence of Earth-like crust species on the surface of 55 Cnc e, from which a possible silicate-vapor atmosphere could have originated, we search in its transmission spectrum for absorption of various atomic and ionized species.
Not finding absorption for any of the investigated species, we are able to set absorption limits with a median value of 1.9 x Rp, ruling out the evidence of a widely extended silicate envelope on this super-Earth reaching several planetary radii.
