Exoplanet Atmospheres

Over the past twenty years, astronomers have identified hundreds of extrasolar planets - planets orbiting stars other than the sun. Recent research in this burgeoning field has made it possible to observe and measure the atmospheres of these exoplanets. This is the first textbook to describe the basic physical processes - including radiative transfer, molecular absorption, and chemical processes - common to all planetary atmospheres, as well as the transit, eclipse, and thermal phase variation observations that are unique to exoplanets. In each chapter, Sara Seager offers a conceptual introduction, examples that combine the relevant physics equations with real data, and exercises. Topics of this title range from foundational knowledge, such as the origin of atmospheric composition and planetary spectra, to more advanced concepts, such as solutions to the radiative transfer equation, polarization, and molecular and condensate opacities. Since planets vary widely in their atmospheric properties, Seager emphasizes the major physical processes that govern all planetary atmospheres. Moving from first principles to cutting-edge research, "Exoplanet Atmospheres" is an ideal resource for students and researchers in astronomy and earth sciences, one that will help prepare them for the next generation of planetary science. The first textbook to describe exoplanet atmospheres, this title illustrates concepts using examples grounded in real data. It provides a step-by-step guide to understanding the structure and emergent spectrum of a planetary atmosphere. It includes exercises for students.

ISBN 0691146454   Pages 264 ISBN13 9780691146454 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 428 Publisher The University Press Group Ltd   Published in New Jersey Imprint Princeton University Press   Series title Princeton Series in Astrophysics Format Paperback   Height (mm) 229 Publication date 02 Aug 2010   Width (mm) 152 DEWEY 523.24   Spine width (mm) 20 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level Tertiary education

		Preface
1		Introduction		1
1.1		Exoplanets from Afar		1
1.2		Two Paths to Observing Exoplanet Atmospheres		2
1.3		Types of Planets		4
2		Intensity and Flux		9
2.1		Introduction		9
2.2		Intensity		9
2.3		Flux and Other Intensity Moments		10
2.4		Surface Flux		11
2.5		Observed Flux		14
2.6		Luminosity and Outgoing Energy		16
2.7		Incident Flux and Incident Energy		17
2.8		Black Body Intensity and Black Body Flux		19
2.9		Lambert Surface		20
2.10		Summary		22
3		Temperature, Albedos, and Flux Ratios		25
3.1		Introduction		25
3.2		Energy Balance		25
3.3		Planetary Temperatures		27
3.4		Planetary Albedos		32
3.5		Planet-Star Flux Ratios		40
3.6		Planetary Phase Curves		45
3.7		Summary		47
4		Composition of a Planetary Atmosphere		51
4.1		Introduction		51
4.2		Composition of Earth's and Jupiter's Atmospheres		51
4.3		Chemical Composition		56
		More...

Seager provides an excellent contribution to the Princeton Series in Astrophysics, which will appeal to graduate students and working professionals in astronomy. -- Choice The author, an acknowledged leader in the field, has written a text intended for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and professional astronomers. The book is organized topically, and could easily be used alone or as part of a more general course in thermodynamics or radiation astrophysics... This is an excellent resource... The author's clear explanations are easy to follow. -- April S. Whitt, Planetarian

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