Exoplanet phase curves from TESS: Results from the Primary Mission and future prospects

The continuous, long-baseline photometry provided by TESS has enabled detailed phase curve studies of planetary systems. Over the course of the two-year Primary Mission, we carried out a systematic light curve analysis of both known targets and newly discovered systems. By measuring the phase curve, we probed fundamental physical quantities, such as the planet’s dayside temperature, Bond albedo, and day-night heat recirculation efficiency, as well as the host star’s response to the mutual star-planet gravitational interaction. In this talk, I provide an overview of the main results from the Primary Mission. We detected phase curves for over 20 targets and combined TESS-band eclipse measurements with Spitzer secondary eclipse depths to obtain self-consistent dayside brightness temperatures and optical geometric albedos. These albedo measurements have revealed an intriguing apparent trend between increasing dayside temperature and increasing geometric albedo for hot Jupiters. With TESS now well into its Extended Mission, we consider possible avenues for follow-up intensive atmospheric characterization and discuss fruitful opportunities for future study as the telescope revisits these systems in the coming years.