Observations of Exoplanet Atmospheres

The focus of this thesis is the observation of extrasolar planet atmospheres. Our research utilizes a variety of telescopes and analysis techniques to observe planets with a variety of properties. In Chapter 1, we present a brief overview of the current state of exoplanet detections. In Chapter 2 is a comprehensive analysis of hot-Jupiter phase curves observed by the Kepler Space Telescope, where planetary properties including albedo, temperature, radius and mass are reported. In Chapter 3, a larger sample of Kepler phase curves are analyzed, including that of an ultra-short period rocky planet. Unlike in Chapter 2, the analysis of this sample also includes a measurement of the phase curve peak brightness offset, which it then used to infer brightness variations across the planet's surface. In Chapter 4, high-resolution Doppler spectroscopy is used to search for water absorption in the transmission spectrum of 55 Cancri e and in Chapter 5 ground-based differential spectrophotometry is used to search for the water absorption signature of HD189733 b in transit observations at K and H band wavelengths. In the final Chapter, future exoplanet discovery missions, and follow-up observing instruments, are described and predictions are made about the success of future exoplanet atmospheric studies.Ph.D