"Understanding the role of photochemical hazes in the atmospheres of extrasolar giant planets with 3D simulations"

Out of all exoplanets, short-period giant planets (from hot Jupiters to sub-Neptunes) are the most amenable to atmospheric characterization. To make sense of the growing body of observations and to better understand the atmospheres of these planets, three-dimensional models are crucial. The strong day-night temperature contrast on these tidally-locked planets drives a vigorous atmospheric circulation which can profoundly change atmospheric processes such as chemistry, cloud formation and haze formation. Spectra of many extrasolar giant planets show signatures of aerosols. For some planets, the observations are best explained by photochemical hazes. Heating and cooling by these hazes has the potential to strongly affect temperatures, atmospheric circulation and synthetic spectra of these planets. Yet, until recently, the effects of photochemical hazes were neglected in 3D general circulation models (GCMs) of extrasolar giant planets. In this talk, I will present results of GCM simulations of a hot Jupiter and a sub-Neptune that include photochemical hazes. I will discuss predictions for the 3D distribution of photochemical hazes, how different haze optical properties can have a dramatic effect on the atmospheric circulation, and how simulations that include hazes compare to observations with HST and JWST.