text: 16,47,1187107907688529920,348637346,Diana Powell,"Inhomogeneous clouds can be observed in transmission even with limited wavelength coverage, uncertainty on limb darkening coefficients, and imprecise transit times in a way that is statistically robust! See my new paper to learn why and how: <LINK> Both the east and west limb often form clouds, but that the different properties of these clouds enhances the limb to limb differences compared to the clear atmosphere case. <LINK> Using JWST it should be possible to detect the presence of cloud inhomogeneities by comparing the shape of the transit lightcurve at multiple wavelengths because inhomogeneous clouds impart a characteristic, wavelength dependent signature <LINK> Probing limb inhomogeneity on hot Jupiters due to clouds can be statistically robust even with limited wavelength coverage, uncertainty on limb darkening coefficients, and imprecise transit times! <LINK> The signatures due to clouds in these models are key in observing inhomogeneity! Check out the paper for predictions about cloud properties and their impact on the observed spectra! Also don't forget to consider cloud particle size distributions! Using the area or mass weighted particle size significantly alters the relative strength of the cloud spectral features compared to using the predicted size distribution. <LINK> In short, we can use cloud physics to probe fundamental atmospheric properties like limb inhomogeneity! This work was done in collaboration with @TomLouden_b, @lkreidberg, Xi Zhang, @PlanetaryGao, and @V_Parmentier  #dreamteam #cloudsarefriends <LINK> @henrifdrake thank you!!! @Of_FallingStars @TomLouden_b @lkreidberg @PlanetaryGao @V_Parmentier thank you!!!",https://arxiv.org/abs/1910.07527,"We determine the observability in transmission of inhomogeneous cloud cover on the limbs of hot Jupiters through post processing a general circulation model to include cloud distributions computed using a cloud microphysics model. We find that both the east and west limb often form clouds, but that the different properties of these clouds enhances the limb to limb differences compared to the clear case. Using JWST it should be possible to detect the presence of cloud inhomogeneities by comparing the shape of the transit lightcurve at multiple wavelengths because inhomogeneous clouds impart a characteristic, wavelength dependent signature. This method is statistically robust even with limited wavelength coverage, uncertainty on limb darkening coefficients, and imprecise transit times. We predict that the short wavelength slope varies strongly with temperature. The hot limb of the hottest planets form higher altitude clouds composed of smaller particles leading to a strong rayleigh slope. The near infrared spectral features of clouds are almost always detectable, even when no spectral slope is visible in the optical. In some of our models a spectral window between 5 and 9 microns can be used to probe through the clouds and detect chemical spectral features. Our cloud particle size distributions are not log-normal and differ from species to species. Using the area or mass weighted particle size significantly alters the relative strength of the cloud spectral features compared to using the predicted size distribution. Finally, the cloud content of a given planet is sensitive to a species' desorption energy and contact angle, two parameters that could be constrained experimentally in the future. ","Transit Signatures of Inhomogeneous Clouds on Hot Jupiters: Insights