exoatmosphere

Noun

 * 1) The region of space just outside the atmosphere proper; the outer atmosphere.

Noun

 * 1)  The atmosphere of an exoplanet.
 * 2) * 2016; E. Aronson, P. Waldén; "Using near-infrared spectroscopy for characterization of transiting exoplanets", Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 578, DOI 10.1051/0004-6361/201424058; BIBCODE 2015A&A...578A.133A; arXiv: 1504.05223;
 * The feasibility of exoatmosphere detection by transit observations has been demonstrated by several authors.
 * 1) * 2015; Michael D. Lemonick, "The Dawn of Distant Skies", Exoplanets: Worlds Without End, Scientific American, 23821863; ISBN 9781466858985
 * Marcy, Mayor and their colleagues had seen only the gravitational effect the planets had on their parent star; to detect a biosignature, you would need to image an exoatmosphere directly.
 * 1) * 2009; P. Rojo, J. Harrington, D. Deming, J. Fortney; "Transit Spectroscopy of the Extrasolar Planet HD 209458b", Bioastronomy 2007: Molecules, Microbes and Extraterrestrial Life ASP Conference Series, Vol. 420, Proceedings, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, BIBCODE 2009ASPC..420..321R
 * This technique uses the fact that the area a transiting planet blocks from its host star varies with wavelength according to the unique spectral features of molecules in the exoatmosphere, allowing identification and abundance measurements from appropriately-timed observations