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We investigated the impact of selected cloud condensates in exoplanetaryatmospheres on the polarization of scattered stellar radiation. We considered aselection of 25 cloud condensates that are expected to be present in extrasolarplanetary atmospheres. Using the three-dimensional Monte Carlo radiativetransfer code POLARIS and assuming Mie scattering theory, we calculated andstudied the net polarization of scattered radiation as a function of planetaryphase angle at optical to near-infrared wavelengths. In addition to thewell-known characteristics in the state of polarization, such as the rainbowdetermined by the real part of the refractive index, the behavior of theunderlying imaginary part of the refractive index causes an increase ordecrease in the degree of polarization and a change of sign in the polarizationat a characteristic wavelength. In contrast to Al$_2$O$_3$ and MgFeSiO$_4$,clouds composed of SiO, MnS, Na$_2$S, or ZnS produce a rapidly decreasingdegree of polarization with increasing wavelength in the context of anexoplanetary atmosphere. Furthermore, the sign of the polarization changes at awavelength of about 0.5 $\mu$m to 0.6 $\mu$m, depending on the specific cloudcondensate. The resulting net polarization is mainly positive for cloudcompositions with large imaginary parts of the refractive index, such as Fe,FeS, and FeO. In addition, for Fe and FeS clouds, the maximum degree ofpolarization at long wavelengths is shifted to larger phase angles than forFeO. We found that most of these cloud condensates are distinguishable fromeach other due to their unique wavelength-dependent complex refractive index.In particular, an increase or decrease of the net polarization as a function ofwavelength and a change of sign in the polarization at specific wavelengths areimportant features for characterizing cloud compositions in exoplanetaryatmospheres.

Polarimetric investigation of selected cloud compositions in exoplanetary atmospheres