Scattering slope of a transmission spectrum

If extinction scales as $\sigma \propto {\lambda }^{\gamma }$, an isothermal hydrostatic atmosphere has $d{R}_p/d\log \lambda =\gamma H$. The measured continuum slope can therefore estimate atmospheric temperature when gravity and mean molecular mass are known.

For $\delta =A+B(1-e^{-\tau })$ and $\tau \propto {\lambda }^{-p}$, the logarithmic slope is $-pB\tau e^{-\tau }/\delta$. The opaque planetary baseline generally dilutes the slope. In the optically thin limit, the atmospheric excess $\delta -A$ has logarithmic slope $-p$.