Ground-Based Characterization Confirms Hydrogen Sulfide on Super-Earth L 98-59 d

This research presents ground-based atmospheric characterization of the super-Earth L 98-59 d using high-resolution transmission spectroscopy. The study aims to extend this technique, traditionally applied to large, hot Jupiters, to smaller and more temperate planets. Using IGRINS on the Gemini-South telescope, the researchers demonstrate the feasibility of characterizing super-Earth atmospheres from ground-based facilities. They confirm the previous tentative JWST inference of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the atmosphere of L 98-59 d at a confidence level of less than 3.9σ. This marks the first ground-based inference of a molecular species in the atmosphere of a super-Earth planet. The data favors a cloud-free atmosphere with an H2S abundance corresponding to approximately 1-10 times solar metallicity. The study also places constraints on the atmospheric abundances of other molecular species, ruling out super-solar abundances for CH4 and NH3. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that L 98-59 d is a super-Earth with possible disequilibrium production of H2S driven by volcanic outgassing from the surface. This work underscores the promise of atmospheric characterization of super-Earth exoplanets using high-resolution spectroscopy with ground-based facilities. Future studies combining multiple observations with different facilities may be able to further constrain the atmospheric composition of this planet.

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