Characterisation of planetary atmospheres at different temperatures: The role of hazes and clouds

Panayotis Lavvas – GSMA, U. Reims, CNRS

As the observing capabilities of modern telescopes push the limit of exoplanet detection towards the habitable zone, a precise characterisation of these environments is fundamental for understanding their properties and comprehending the architecture of planetary atmospheres in the cosmos. Photochemical hazes and clouds are typically considered an obstacle for the characterisation of exoplanetary atmospheres. However, these particles have their own astrobiological interest and convey additional information for their atmospheres. Hazes and clouds observed across the solar system provide important insight into the physical and chemical mechanisms leading to their formation. Although formed at colder temperature conditions than those typical found in most detected exoplanets, the identified processes could also act at warmer environments, modified by the chemical potential of each case. We will thus discuss some characteristic solar system examples, such as those of Titan and Pluto, and then expand to the characterisation of exoplanetary atmospheres across different temperature conditions (ranging from hot-Jupiters to temperate exoplanets), based on the latest observational constraints.