All you need to know about Cloud Modelling and Hot Jupiters

Mother Nature came up with another beautiful and mysterious collection of hot Jupiters and their clouds.

This is the era of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and among the ocean of stars, hot Jupiters are quite special because of their beauty and features. Clouds around hot Jupiters are affected by the heat transportation and tidal effect of the hot Jupiters themselves. We can already understand the temperature difference of day and night even after living in a faraway place. So just think about what the clouds face, which are so close to the hot Jupiters.

What Are These Hot Jupiters: Planets or Stars

Hot Jupiters are mainly gas giants but they are also planets like exoplanets. It is fascinating right! A very common question comes up, if they are gas, how can they be planets! Well, we know that there are only a few criteria to become a planet and to become a habitable planet is totally different. Hot Jupiters are mainly Jupiter like planets with huge diameter and short orbital period. Most importantly these Jupiters are very close to their host stars.

Cloud Structure: Around the Hot Jupiters

The kind of clouds we see around are usually uniform and created due to evaporation of water from the earth surface and addition of dust and atmospheric particles. But when we think about the clouds around those gas giants, they are non-uniform in nature. Now, the twist is, the clouds are not formed in the usual way, due to the high equilibrium temperature the compositing molecules are different.

Non-Uniform Clouds: Its Effect

Clouds can be uniform or non-uniform; it is based on their properties and on the process of creation. Non uniform clouds are found around hot Jupiters because of their properties, which highly oppose the existence of uniform clouds. These non-uniform clouds play a good role in covering transit. Cloud modelling can reveal some good secrets about this kind of planet.

JWST: The Era of Unfolding Truths

Due to the availability of the JWST telescope, we are quite close to learning more about these cloud systems. Till now we only had theory and some data based on some poor instruments but now, JWST is able to give clear pictures of those non uniform clouds gathered around hot Jupiters. Observation always leads us towards some great news and in this case, we will not be turned down.