Deciphering Spectral Fingerprints of Habitable Exoplanets
Journal article, 2010
We discuss how to read a planet's spectrum to assess its habitability and search for the signatures of a biosphere. After a decade rich in giant exoplanet detections, observation techniques have advanced to a level where we now have the capability to find planets of less than 10 Earth masses (M-Earth) (so-called "super Earths''), which may be habitable. How can we characterize those planets and assess whether they are habitable? This new field of exoplanet search has shown an extraordinary capacity to combine research in astrophysics, chemistry, biology, and geophysics into a new and exciting interdisciplinary approach to understanding our place in the Universe. The results of a first-generation mission will most likely generate an amazing scope of diverse planets that will set planet formation, evolution, and our planet into an overall context.
hd 189733b
infrared radiation
Planetary atmospheres
atmosphere
stars
life
earth-like planets
Habitable planets
Biomarkers
red-edge
thermal emission
Exoplanet search
search
extrasolar terrestrial planets
Author
L. Kaltenegger
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
F. Selsis
University of Bordeaux
M. Fridlund
European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA ESTEC)
H. Lammer
Institut fur Weltraumforschung
C. Beichman
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
W. Danchi
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
C. Eiroa
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM)
T. Henning
Max Planck Society
T. Herbst
Max Planck Society
A. Leger
University of Paris-Sud
René Liseau
Chalmers, Department of Radio and Space Science, Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics
J. Lunine
University of Arizona
F. Paresce
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
A. Penny
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
A. Quirrenbach
Heidelberg-Königstuhl State Observatory
H. Rottgering
Leiden University
J. Schneider
Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
D. Stam
Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON)
G. Tinetti
University College London (UCL)
G. J. White
Open University
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Astrobiology
1531-1074 (ISSN)
Vol. 10 1 89-102Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Roots
Basic sciences
DOI
10.1089/ast.2009.0381