Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets

Details Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets

Jun 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002asbio...2..153d&link_type=abstract

Astrobiology, Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. 153-181.

Biology

112

Spectroscopy, Biosignatures, Extrasolar Planets, Terrestrial Planet Finder, Darwin, Habitable Planets

Scientific paper

The major goals of NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and the European Space Agency's Darwin missions are to detect terrestrial-sized extrasolar planets directly and to seek spectroscopic evidence of habitable conditions and life. Here we recommend wavelength ranges and spectral features for these missions. We assess known spectroscopic molecular band features of Earth, Venus, and Mars in the context of putative extrasolar analogs. The preferred wavelength ranges are 7-25 μm in the mid-IR and 0.5 to ~1.1 μm in the visible to near-IR. Detection of O2 or its photolytic product O3 merits highest priority. Liquid H2O is not a bioindicator, but it is considered essential to life. Substantial CO2 indicates an atmosphere and oxidation state typical of a terrestrial planet. Abundant CH4 might require a biological source, yet abundant CH4 also can arise from a crust and upper mantle more reduced than that of Earth. The range of characteristics of extrasolar rocky planets might far exceed that of the Solar System. Planetary size and mass are very important indicators of habitability and can be estimated in the mid-IR and potentially also in the visible to near-IR. Additional spectroscopic features merit study, for example, features created by other biosignature compounds in the atmosphere or on the surface and features due to Rayleigh scattering. In summary, we find that both the mid-IR and the visible to near-IR wavelength ranges offer valuable information regarding biosignatures and planetary properties; therefore both merit serious scientific consideration for TPF and Darwin.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1893530