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Searching for atmospheric bioindicators in planets around the two nearby stars, Proxima Centauri and Epsilon Eridani - Test cases for retrieval of atmospheric gases with infrared spectroscopy
Léger, A.; Defrère, D.; García Muñoz, A.; Godolt, M.; Grenfell, J.L.; Rauer, H.; Tian, F. (2019). Searching for atmospheric bioindicators in planets around the two nearby stars, Proxima Centauri and Epsilon Eridani - Test cases for retrieval of atmospheric gases with infrared spectroscopy. Astrobiol. 19(6): 797-810. https://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2018.1938
In: Astrobiology. Mary Ann Liebert: Larchmont, N.Y.. ISSN 1531-1074; e-ISSN 1557-8070, more
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
Author keywords
    Exoplanets; Spectroscopy; Bioindicator; Biosignature; Nearby stars;Proxima Cen b
Authors  Top 
  • Léger, A.
  • Defrère, D., more
  • García Muñoz, A.
  • Godolt, M.
  • Grenfell, J.L.
  • Rauer, H.
  • Tian, F.
Abstract
    We tested the ability of thermal infrared spectroscopy to retrieve assumed atmospheric compositions for different types of planets orbiting Proxima Centauri and Epsilon Eridani. Six cases are considered, covering a range of atmospheric compositions and some diversity in the bulk composition (rocky, water ocean, hydrogen rich) and the spectral type of the parent star (M and K stars). For some cases, we applied coupled climate chemistry, or climate-only calculations; for other cases, we assumed the atmospheric composition, ground temperature, and surface reflectivity. The IR emission was then calculated from line-by-line radiative transfer models and used to investigate retrieval of input atmospheric species. For the six cases considered, no false positive of the triple bioindicator (H2O, CO2, and O2, in specified conditions) was found. In some cases, results show that the simultaneous acquisition of a visible spectrum would be valuable, for example, when CO2 is very abundant and its 9.4 μm satellite band hides the 9.6 μm O3 band in the IR. In each case, determining the mass appears mandatory to identify the planet's nature and have an idea of surface conditions, which are necessary when testing for the presence of life.
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