A Nondetection of Iron in the First High-resolution Emission Study of the Lava Planet 55 Cnc e

Open Access
Authors
  • K.C. Rasmussen
  • M.H. Currie
  • C. Hagee
  • C. van Buchem
  • M. Malik
  • A.B. Savel
  • M. Brogi
  • E. Rauscher
  • V. Meadows
  • M. Mansfield
  • E.M.-R Kempton
  • J.-M. Desert ORCID logo
  • J.P Wardenier
  • L. Pino
  • M. Line
  • V. Parmentier
  • A. Seifahrt
  • D. Kasper
  • M. Brady
  • J.L. Bean
Publication date 01-10-2023
Journal Astrophysical Journal
Article number 155
Volume | Issue number 166 | 4
Number of pages 5
Organisations
  • Faculty of Science (FNWI) - Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy (API)
Abstract
Close-in lava planets represent an extreme example of terrestrial worlds, but their high temperatures may allow us to probe a diversity of crustal compositions. The brightest and most well-studied of these objects is 55 Cancri e, a nearby super-Earth with a remarkably short 17 hr orbit. However, despite numerous studies, debate remains about the existence and composition of its atmosphere. We present upper limits on the atmospheric pressure of 55 Cnc e derived from high-resolution time-series spectra taken with Gemini-N/MAROON-X. Our results are consistent with current crustal evaporation models for this planet which predict a thin ∼100 mbar atmosphere. We conclude that, if a mineral atmosphere is present on 55 Cnc e, the atmospheric pressure is below 100 mbar.
Document type Article
Language English
Published at https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/acf28e
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