Publications

Papers

Journal articles and recent preprints, newest first. My name is in bold, and each title links to the published version.

This list is rebuilt from Crossref, ORCID and arXiv (last updated 10 October 2026). A new paper can take a few days to appear here. NASA ADS holds the full record with citation counts.

Selected papers

Challenges in the detection of gases in exoplanet atmospheresWelbanks, L., Nixon, M. C., McGill, P., et al.
Nature Astronomy, 10, 234 (2025)ADS arXiv
A high internal heat flux and large core in a warm Neptune exoplanetWelbanks, L., Bell, T. J., Beatty, T. G., et al.
Nature, 630, 836 (2024)ADS arXiv
Prospects for detecting signs of life on exoplanets in the JWST eraSeager, S., Welbanks, L., Ellerbroek, L., et al.
PNAS, 122, e2416188122 (2025)ADS arXiv
On the Application of Bayesian Leave-one-out Cross-validation to Exoplanet Atmospheric AnalysisWelbanks, L., McGill, P., Line, M., Madhusudhan, N.
AJ, 165, 112 (2023)ADS arXiv
Identification of carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphereJWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science Team, et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 614, 649 (2022)ADS arXiv
Methane throughout the atmosphere of the warm exoplanet WASP-80bBell, T. J., Welbanks, L., Schlawin, E., et al.
Nature, 623, 709 (2023)ADS arXiv
Aurora: A Generalized Retrieval Framework for Exoplanetary Transmission SpectraWelbanks, L., Madhusudhan, N.
ApJ, 913, 114 (2021)ADS arXiv
Mass–Metallicity Trends in Transiting Exoplanets from Atmospheric Abundances of H₂O, Na, and KWelbanks, L., Madhusudhan, N., Allard, N. F., et al.
ApJL, 887, L20 (2019)ADS arXiv

Preprints

Submitted papers from the last two years that have not yet been published.

Enhancing the Interpretability of Radial Velocity Analysis Using Leave-one-out Cross-validationNixon, M. C., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2610.07181 (2026)arXiv
New and Updated Rossiter-McLaughlin Measurements for Three Hot Jupiter-Hosting M DwarfsWeisserman, D., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2609.03031 (2026)arXiv
Nautilus Space Observatory: Unveiling the Diversity and Origin of Sub-Neptunes with the Nautilus Space ObservatoryWelbanks, L., Hall, K. E., Wit, J. D., et al.
arXiv:2607.00268 (2026)arXiv
Mapping Stellar Heterogeneities with the Nautilus Space ObservatoryFeinstein, A. D., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2606.30706 (2026)arXiv
Nautilus Space Observatory: The Evolution of Planets and their AtmospheresPascucci, I., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2606.26214 (2026)arXiv
KRONOS II: Solar-like Umbra and Penumbra Properties on the Young Sun V1298 TauMurphy, M. M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2606.16782 (2026)arXiv
The Identification of CS2 and Evidence for Carbon-Sulfur Chemical Coupling in a Warm Giant Exoplanet AtmosphereTriantafillides, A., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2604.13168 (2026)arXiv
On Linking Planet Formation Models, Protoplanetary Disk Properties, and Mature Gas Giant Exoplanet AtmospheresFeinstein, A. D., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
arXiv:2506.00669 (2025)arXiv

All journal articles

First author only

2026

The tale of the three planets: 3D cloud feedback increases the spectral diversity of warm JupitersMehta, N., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
A&A (2026)ADS arXiv
JWST MEP—A World Under Spotty Starlight: Detection of CO₂ and H₂O in the Hot Saturn WASP-52b with JWST NIRSpec G395HPan, Y., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 172, 234 (2026)ADS arXiv
Photochemical Production of CS₂ in Temperate-to-warm Gas Giant Exoplanet AtmospheresYang, J., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 1009, L29 (2026)ADS arXiv
C, N, O, S, and Photochemistry in a Temperate Giant Planet Orbiting a Late M DwarfZhang, M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 1009, L28 (2026)ADS arXiv
Inhomogeneous Cloud Coverage and Altitude-dependent Heat Transport on the Hot-Jupiter NGTS-10 Ab from its Optical-to-infrared Phase CurveCoulombe, L.-P., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
PASP, 138, 094403 (2026)ADS arXiv
Computational challenges in exoplanet atmospheric retrievalBarstow, J. K., Welbanks, L.
Living Reviews in Computational Astrophysics, 12, 6 (2026)ADS
The Roasting Marshmallows Program with IGRINS on Gemini South. V. Atmosphere of MASCARA-1 b Is Enriched in Refractory ElementsKanumalla, K., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 172, 83 (2026)ADS arXiv
Impact of Clouds on the Atmosphere–Mantle Interface of Sub-NeptunesMukherjee, S., Nixon, M. C., Welbanks, L., et al.
ApJL, 1005, L63 (2026)ADS arXiv
KRONOS I: The 1–2.8 μm JWST Transmission Spectrum of the 23 Myr V1298 Tau cMurphy, M. M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 172, 66 (2026)ADS arXiv
A Panchromatic JWST Spectrum of a Giant Starspot on the Fully Convective M Dwarf TOI-3884Murray, C. A., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 1003, L45 (2026)ADS arXiv
Methane on the Temperate Exo-Saturn TOI-199 bBello-Arufe, A., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 171, 354 (2026)ADS arXiv
NASA’s Pandora SmallSat Mission: Simulating the Impact of Stellar Photospheric Heterogeneity and Its CorrectionRackham, B. V., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 171, 338 (2026)ADS arXiv
Horizontal transport as a source of disequilibrium chemistry on the nightside of a hot exoplanetParmentier, V., Stevenson, K. B., Welbanks, L., et al.
Nature Astronomy, 10, 1011 (2026)ADS arXiv
Supersolar Metallicity and Tentative Evidence for Photochemistry on WASP-96 b from JWST and Ground-based VLT Transmission SpectroscopyRadica, M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 171, 314 (2026)ADS arXiv
NASA’s Pandora SmallSat Mission: Simulated Modeling and Retrieval of Near-infrared Exoplanet Transmission SpectraRotman, Y., McGill, P., Welbanks, L., et al.
AJ, 171, 263 (2026)ADS arXiv
Cloudy solutions for the clear skies of WASP-80b: 3D cloud feedback on the atmosphere and spectra of a warm JupiterMehta, N., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
A&A, 707, A394 (2026)ADS arXiv
A Stellar magnesium to silicon ratio in the atmosphere of an exoplanetSanchez, J. A., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature Communications, 17, 2902 (2026)ADS arXiv

2025

Challenges in the detection of gases in exoplanet atmospheresWelbanks, L., Nixon, M. C., McGill, P., et al.
Nature Astronomy, 10, 234 (2025)ADS arXiv
Magma Ocean Interactions Can Explain JWST Observations of the Sub-Neptune TOI-270 dNixon, M. C., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJ, 995, 95 (2025)ADS arXiv
Mapping the SO₂ Shoreline in Gas Giant ExoplanetsCrossfield, I. J. M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJ, 994, 184 (2025)ADS arXiv
Aligned Stellar Obliquities for Two Hot Jupiter-hosting M Dwarfs Revealed by MAROON-X: Implications for Hot Jupiter FormationWeisserman, D., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 170, 313 (2025)ADS arXiv
Horizontal and vertical exoplanet thermal structure from a JWST spectroscopic eclipse mapChallener, R. C., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature Astronomy, 9, 1821 (2025)ADS arXiv
Volcanic satellites tidally venting Na, K, and SO2 in optical and infrared lightOza, A. V., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, 546, staf1526 (2025)ADS arXiv
Prospects for detecting signs of life on exoplanets in the JWST eraSeager, S., Welbanks, L., Ellerbroek, L., et al.
PNAS, 122, e2416188122 (2025)ADS arXiv
A precise metallicity and carbon-to-oxygen ratio for a warm giant exoplanet from its panchromatic JWST emission spectrumWiser, L. S., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
PNAS, 122, e2416193122 (2025)ADS arXiv
Enabling Robust Exoplanet Atmospheric Retrievals with Gaussian ProcessesRotman, Y., Welbanks, L., Line, M. R., et al.
ApJ, 989, 201 (2025)ADS arXiv
The Roasting Marshmallows Program with IGRINS on Gemini South III: Seeing deeper into the metal depleted atmosphere of a gas-giant on the cusp of the hot to ultra-hot Jupiter transitionPanwar, V., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, staf1150 (2025)ADS arXiv
A Panchromatic Characterization of the Evening and Morning Atmosphere of WASP-107 b: Composition and Cloud Variations, and Insight into the Effect of Stellar ContaminationMurphy, M. M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 170, 61 (2025)ADS arXiv
Statistical Trends in JWST Transiting Exoplanet AtmospheresFu, G., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJ, 986, 1 (2025)ADS arXiv
Escaping Helium and a Highly Muted Spectrum Suggest a Metal-enriched Atmosphere on Sub-Neptune GJ 3090 b from JWST Transit SpectroscopyAhrer, E.-M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 985, L10 (2025)ADS arXiv
HST Transmission Spectra of the Hot Neptune HD 219666 b: Detection of Water and the Challenge of Constraining Both Water and MethaneMurphy, M. M., Beatty, T. G., Welbanks, L., Fu, G.
AJ, 169, 286 (2025)ADS arXiv
A JWST Panchromatic Thermal Emission Spectrum of the Warm Neptune Archetype GJ 436bMukherjee, S., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 982, L39 (2025)ADS arXiv
Evidence for a Volcanic Atmosphere on the Sub-Earth L 98-59 bBello-Arufe, A., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 980, L26 (2025)ADS arXiv
A Measurement of the Water Abundance in the Atmosphere of the Hot Jupiter WASP-43b with High-resolution Cross-correlation SpectroscopyBartelt, D., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 169, 101 (2025)ADS arXiv
A Possible Metal-dominated Atmosphere below the Thick Aerosols of GJ 1214 b Suggested by Its JWST Panchromatic Transmission SpectrumOhno, K., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 979, L7 (2025)ADS arXiv

2024

The Roasting Marshmallows Program with IGRINS on Gemini South. II. WASP-121 b has Superstellar C/O and Refractory-to-volatile RatiosSmith, P. C. B., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 168, 293 (2024)ADS arXiv
The Featherweight Giant: Unraveling the Atmosphere of a 17 Myr Planet with JWSTThao, P. C., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 168, 297 (2024)ADS arXiv
A Fourth Planet in the Kepler-51 System Revealed by Transit Timing VariationsMasuda, K., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 168, 294 (2024)ADS arXiv
IGRINS Observations of WASP-127 b: H₂O, CO, and Super-solar Atmospheric Metallicity in the Inflated Sub-SaturnKanumalla, K., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 168, 201 (2024)ADS arXiv
Possible Carbon Dioxide above the Thick Aerosols of GJ 1214 bSchlawin, E., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 974, L33 (2024)ADS arXiv
JWST/NIRISS Reveals the Water-rich “Steam World” Atmosphere of GJ 9827 dPiaulet-Ghorayeb, C., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 974, L10 (2024)ADS arXiv
Evidence for morning-to-evening limb asymmetry on the cool low-density exoplanet WASP-107 bMurphy, M. M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature Astronomy, 8, 1562 (2024)ADS arXiv
Multiple Clues for Dayside Aerosols and Temperature Gradients in WASP-69 b from a Panchromatic JWST Emission SpectrumSchlawin, E., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 168, 104 (2024)ADS arXiv
Lessons from Hubble and Spitzer: 1D Self-consistent Model Grids for 19 Hot Jupiter Emission SpectraWiser, L. S., Line, M. R., Welbanks, L., et al.
ApJ, 971, 33 (2024)ADS arXiv
Inhomogeneous terminators on the exoplanet WASP-39 bEspinoza, N., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 632, 1017 (2024)ADS arXiv
A benchmark JWST near-infrared spectrum for the exoplanet WASP-39 bCarter, A. L., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature Astronomy, 8, 1008 (2024)ADS arXiv
Hydrogen sulfide and metal-enriched atmosphere for a Jupiter-mass exoplanetFu, G., Welbanks, L., Deming, D., et al.
Nature, 632, 752 (2024)ADS arXiv
Sulfur Dioxide and Other Molecular Species in the Atmosphere of the Sub-Neptune GJ 3470 bBeatty, T. G., Welbanks, L., Schlawin, E., et al.
ApJL, 970, L10 (2024)ADS arXiv
Debris Disks Can Contaminate Mid-infrared Exoplanet Spectra: Evidence for a Circumstellar Debris Disk around Exoplanet Host WASP-39Flagg, L., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 969, L19 (2024)ADS arXiv
A high internal heat flux and large core in a warm Neptune exoplanetWelbanks, L., Bell, T. J., Beatty, T. G., et al.
Nature, 630, 836 (2024)ADS arXiv
Methods for Incorporating Model Uncertainty into Exoplanet Atmospheric AnalysisNixon, M. C., Welbanks, L., McGill, P., Kempton, E. M. R.
ApJ, 966, 156 (2024)ADS arXiv
Nightside clouds and disequilibrium chemistry on the hot Jupiter WASP-43bBell, T. J., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature Astronomy, 8, 879 (2024)ADS arXiv
Revealing H2O dissociation in WASP-76 b through combined high- and low-resolution transmission spectroscopyGandhi, S., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, 530, 2885 (2024)ADS arXiv
A Revisit of the Mass–Metallicity Trends in Transiting ExoplanetsSun, Q., Wang, S. X., Welbanks, L., et al.
AJ, 167, 167 (2024)ADS arXiv
JWST Transmission Spectroscopy of HD 209458b: A Supersolar Metallicity, a Very Low C/O, and No Evidence of CH₄, HCN, or C₂H₂Xue, Q., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 963, L5 (2024)ADS arXiv
A Combined Ground-based and JWST Atmospheric Retrieval Analysis: Both IGRINS and NIRSpec Agree that the Atmosphere of WASP-77A b Is Metal-poorSmith, P. C. B., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 167, 110 (2024)ADS arXiv
Sulfur dioxide in the mid-infrared transmission spectrum of WASP-39bPowell, D., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 626, 979 (2024)ADS arXiv
Potential Melting of Extrasolar Planets by Tidal DissipationSeligman, D. Z., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJ, 961, 22 (2024)ADS arXiv

2023

Near-infrared transmission spectroscopy of HAT-P-18 b with NIRISS: Disentangling planetary and stellar features in the era of JWSTFournier-Tondreau, M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, 528, 3354 (2023)ADS arXiv
Methane throughout the atmosphere of the warm exoplanet WASP-80bBell, T. J., Welbanks, L., Schlawin, E., et al.
Nature, 623, 709 (2023)ADS arXiv
Bringing 2D Eclipse Mapping out of the Shadows with Leave-one-out Cross ValidationChallener, R. C., Welbanks, L., McGill, P.
AJ, 166, 251 (2023)ADS arXiv
Awesome SOSS: transmission spectroscopy of WASP-96b with NIRISS/SOSSRadica, M., Welbanks, L., Espinoza, N., et al.
MNRAS, 524, 835 (2023)ADS arXiv
A broadband thermal emission spectrum of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-18bCoulombe, L.-P., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 620, 292 (2023)ADS arXiv
Awesome SOSS: atmospheric characterization of WASP-96 b using the JWST early release observationsTaylor, J., Radica, M., Welbanks, L., et al.
MNRAS, 524, 817 (2023)ADS arXiv
A reflective, metal-rich atmosphere for GJ 1214b from its JWST phase curveKempton, E. M. R., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 620, 67 (2023)ADS arXiv
Photochemically produced SO2 in the atmosphere of WASP-39bTsai, S.-M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 617, 483 (2023)ADS arXiv
LRG-BEASTS: evidence for clouds in the transmission spectrum of HATS-46 bAhrer, E., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, 521, 5636 (2023)ADS arXiv
On the Application of Bayesian Leave-one-out Cross-validation to Exoplanet Atmospheric AnalysisWelbanks, L., McGill, P., Line, M., Madhusudhan, N.
AJ, 165, 112 (2023)ADS arXiv
The Roasting Marshmallows Program with IGRINS on Gemini South I: Composition and Climate of the Ultrahot Jupiter WASP-18 bBrogi, M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 165, 91 (2023)ADS arXiv
Hubble Space Telescope Transmission Spectroscopy for the Temperate Sub-Neptune TOI-270 d: A Possible Hydrogen-rich Atmosphere Containing Water VaporMikal-Evans, T., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
AJ, 165, 84 (2023)ADS arXiv
Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRSpec PRISMRustamkulov, Z., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 614, 659 (2023)ADS arXiv
Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRSpec G395HAlderson, L., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 614, 664 (2023)ADS arXiv
Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRISSFeinstein, A. D., Radica, M., Welbanks, L., et al.
Nature, 614, 670 (2023)ADS arXiv
Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRCamAhrer, E.-M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 614, 653 (2023)ADS arXiv
The effect of stellar contamination on low-resolution transmission spectroscopy: needs identified by NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Study Analysis Group 21Rackham, B. V., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
RASTI, 2, 148 (2023)ADS arXiv

2022

Identification of carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphereJWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science Team, et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
Nature, 614, 649 (2022)ADS arXiv
On Atmospheric Retrievals of Exoplanets with Inhomogeneous TerminatorsWelbanks, L., Madhusudhan, N.
ApJ, 933, 79 (2022)ADS arXiv
Spatially resolving the terminator: variation of Fe, temperature, and winds in WASP-76 b across planetary limbs and orbital phaseGandhi, S., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, 515, 749 (2022)ADS arXiv

2021

Aurora: A Generalized Retrieval Framework for Exoplanetary Transmission SpectraWelbanks, L., Madhusudhan, N.
ApJ, 913, 114 (2021)ADS arXiv
The Hubble PanCET Program: A Metal-rich Atmosphere for the Inflated Hot Jupiter HAT-P-41bSheppard, K. B., Welbanks, L., Mandell, A. M., et al.
AJ, 161, 51 (2021)ADS arXiv

2020

An Unusual Transmission Spectrum for the Sub-Saturn KELT-11b Suggestive of a Subsolar Water AbundanceColón, K. D., Kreidberg, L., Welbanks, L., et al.
AJ, 160, 280 (2020)ADS arXiv
Detection of Na in WASP-21b’s lower and upper atmosphereChen, G., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
A&A, 642, A54 (2020)ADS arXiv
Assessing spectra and thermal inversions due to TiO in hot Jupiter atmospheresPiette, A. A. A., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
MNRAS, 496, 3870 (2020)ADS arXiv
Neutral Cr and V in the Atmosphere of Ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121 bBen-Yami, M., et al. (including Welbanks, L.)
ApJL, 897, L5 (2020)ADS arXiv
Detection of neutral atomic species in the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-121bCabot, S. H. C., Madhusudhan, N., Welbanks, L., et al.
MNRAS, 494, 363 (2020)ADS arXiv
The Interior and Atmosphere of the Habitable-zone Exoplanet K2-18bMadhusudhan, N., Nixon, M. C., Welbanks, L., et al.
ApJL, 891, L7 (2020)ADS arXiv

2019

Mass–Metallicity Trends in Transiting Exoplanets from Atmospheric Abundances of H₂O, Na, and KWelbanks, L., Madhusudhan, N., Allard, N. F., et al.
ApJL, 887, L20 (2019)ADS arXiv
On Degeneracies in Retrievals of Exoplanetary Transmission SpectraWelbanks, L., Madhusudhan, N.
AJ, 157, 206 (2019)ADS arXiv
An optical transmission spectrum of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-33 bvon Essen, C., Mallonn, M., Welbanks, L., et al.
A&A, 622, A71 (2019)ADS arXiv

2018

The GTC exoplanet transit spectroscopy surveyChen, G., Pallé, E., Welbanks, L., et al.
A&A, 616, A145 (2018)ADS arXiv

2014

Fundamental and combination bands of CO₂–C₂H₂ and CO₂–C₂D₂ in the mid-infrared regionRezaei, M., George, J., Welbanks, L., Moazzen-Ahmadi, N.
Molecular Physics, 112, 2445 (2014)ADS