Hot Exoplanetary Atmospheres in 3D

Hot giant exoplanets are very exotic objects with no equivalent in the Solar System that allow us to study the behavior of atmospheres under extreme conditions. Their thermal and chemical day-night dichotomies associated with extreme wind dynamics make them intrinsically 3D objects. Thus, the common 1D assumption, relevant to study colder atmospheres, reaches its limits in order to be able to explain hot and ultra-hot atmospheres and their evolution in a consistent way. In this review, we highlight the importance of these 3D considerations and how they impact transit, eclipse and phase curve observations. We also analyze how the models must adapt in order to remain self-consistent, consistent with the observations and sufficiently accurate to avoid bias or errors. We particularly insist on the synergy between models and observations in order to be able to carry out atmospheric characterizations with data from the new generation of instruments that are currently in operation or will be in the near future.

Automated summary

Hot giant exoplanets, unique in the Solar System, provide the opportunity to study atmospheric behavior under extreme conditions. Due to their 3D nature, in contrast to the common 1D assumption, their thermal and chemical day-night dichotomies and extreme wind dynamics require adapted models for self-consistent and accurate analysis of transit, eclipse, and phase curve observations. The synergy between models and observations is emphasized in order to characterize atmospheres using data from new generation instruments.