How expanded ionospheres of Hot Jupiters can prevent escape of radio emission generated by the cyclotron maser instability

Abstract We present a study of plasma conditions in the atmospheres of the Hot Jupiters HD 209458b and HD 189733b and for an HD 209458b like planet at orbit locations between 0.2 and 1 au around a Sun-like star. We discuss how these conditions influence the radio emission we expect from their magnet...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2017-08, Vol.469 (3), p.3505-3517
Main Authors: Weber, C., Lammer, H., Shaikhislamov, I. F., Chadney, J. M., Khodachenko, M. L., Grießmeier, J.-M., Rucker, H. O., Vocks, C., Macher, W., Odert, P., Kislyakova, K. G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astrophysics
Sciences of the Universe
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Summary:Abstract We present a study of plasma conditions in the atmospheres of the Hot Jupiters HD 209458b and HD 189733b and for an HD 209458b like planet at orbit locations between 0.2 and 1 au around a Sun-like star. We discuss how these conditions influence the radio emission we expect from their magnetospheres. We find that the environmental conditions are such that the cyclotron maser instability (CMI), the process responsible for the generation of radio waves at magnetic planets in the Solar system, most likely will not operate at Hot Jupiters. Hydrodynamically expanding atmospheres possess extended ionospheres whose plasma densities within the magnetosphere are so large that the plasma frequency is much higher than the cyclotron frequency, which contradicts the condition for the production of radio emission and prevents the escape of radio waves from close-in exoplanets at distances
ISSN:0035-8711
1365-2966
DOI:10.1093/mnras/stx1099