Hakim, Kaustubh

Invited talk presented at 10th Joint Workshop on High Pressure, Planetary and Plasma Physics (HP4), Brussels, Belgium on 2022-09-30

Abstract: Advanced telescopes of this decade including JWST and ELTs are expected to characterize the atmospheres of small to intermediate-sized exoplanets (sub-Earth to sub-Neptune-sized) that are ubiquitous in our galaxy. Detailed observations atmospheric chemistry would build on previous measurements of physical characteristics (orbital period, mass and/or radius, etc.). The first detected atmospheric molecules would likely be made of carbon, sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen. I will show the importance of carbon and sulfur that are distributed and recycled among several reservoirs on Earth, from the atmosphere to the core. For small to intermediate-sized exoplanets, the interior plays a key role in determining the atmosphere chemistry. Moreover, pressures, temperatures and compositions of the interior and atmosphere of these exoplanets span a larger diversity than the terrestrial planets in the Solar System. To model the interior structure, evolution and interior-atmosphere interactions on these exoplanets, information of high-pressure high-temperature material properties including equations of state and thermoelastic properties are required. With the help of some examples, I will highlight the need for high-pressure experiments and ab initio calculations to accurately interpret upcoming data on exoplanets.