Authors

Chad Bender (1), John Carr (2), Travis Barman (3)

Affiliations

(1) PSU; (2) NRL; (3) Lowell

Abstract

We are using high-contrast, high-resolution spectroscopy from ground-based facilities to directly detect and characterize the atmospheres of close-in exoplanets. These measurements complement space-based direct detections by probing planets and spectral regions inaccessible to current space-based instruments. Observations with the NIRSPEC spectrometer on the Keck II telescope have recently yielded a direct detection of the non-transiting Neptune mass exoplanet 55 Cancri E at 3 microns. We are currently extending the program to additional targets and facilities, including the High-Resolution Spectrograph on the Hobby Eberly Telescope. I will describe our techniques for achieving very high signal-to-noise spectroscopy and the procedure for disentangling the planet and stellar spectra. I will also present our most recent results from 55 Cancri and additional systems we have been observing.