= Exoplanet cloud
An <exoplanet cloud> is suspended condensed material in an <exoplanet atmosphere>. Condensation makes particles when local composition and <temperature> permit; mixing can keep them aloft while <atmospheric condensate rainout> removes them by settling. The resulting distribution depends on transport as well as on local <chemical equilibrium>.
Particles absorb and scatter <radiation>, changing the reflected brightness, thermal spectrum and <exoplanet transmission spectrum>. An opaque <exoplanet cloud deck> hides deeper molecular absorption, while a thinner cloud can leave wavelength-dependent structure. Particle size, composition and coverage therefore matter as much as the statement that a cloud is present. A weak gas band can indicate obscuration rather than low molecular abundance, making clouds a central uncertainty in <atmospheric retrieval>.
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