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Atmospheric composition of exoplanets based on the thermal escape of gases and implications for habitability
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Space Technology.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8831-6047
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Space Technology. Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Armilla, Granada, Spain; School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Meston Building, King's College, Aberdeen, UK.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6479-2236
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Space Technology. Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4492-9650
2020 (English)In: Proceedings of the Royal Society. Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, ISSN 1364-5021, E-ISSN 1471-2946, Vol. 476, no 2241, article id 20200148Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The detection of habitable exoplanets is an exciting scientific and technical challenge. Owing to the current and most likely long-lasting impossibility of performing in situ exploration of exoplanets, their study and hypotheses regarding their capability to host life will be based on the restricted low-resolution spatial and spectral information of their atmospheres. On the other hand, with the advent of the upcoming exoplanet survey missions and technological improvements, there is a need for preliminary discrimination that can prioritize potential candidates within the fast-growing list of exoplanets. Here we estimate, for the first time and using the kinetic theory of gases, a list of the possible atmospheric species that can be retained in the atmospheres of the known exoplanets. We conclude that, based on our current knowledge of the detected exoplanets, 45 of them are good candidates for habitability studies. These exoplanets could have Earth-like atmospheres and should be able to maintain stable liquid water. Our results suggest that the current definition of a habitable zone around a star should be revisited and that the capacity of the planet to host an Earth-like atmosphere to support the stability of liquid water should be added.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Royal Society , 2020. Vol. 476, no 2241, article id 20200148
Keywords [en]
kinetic theory, atmospheres, thermal escape, exoplanets, habitability
National Category
Aerospace Engineering
Research subject
Atmospheric Science
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-81089DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2020.0148ISI: 000571577100001PubMedID: 33061789Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85093084656OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-81089DiVA, id: diva2:1474962
Note

Validerad;2020;Nivå 2;2020-10-12 (alebob)

Available from: 2020-10-12 Created: 2020-10-12 Last updated: 2024-12-03Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Atmospheric Species and Spectral Radiation in Terrestrial Exoplanets: Implications for Astrobiology
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Atmospheric Species and Spectral Radiation in Terrestrial Exoplanets: Implications for Astrobiology
2022 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The physical properties of the planets and their parent stars are fundamental in the composition of atmospheres and radiative environments, which fundamentally determine their surface temperature and habitability. The atmospheric composition and radiation play a vital role in the emergence of life. 

This doctoral thesis presents two main results: 

1. A method that uses the physical properties of the planets and their parent stars to infer the potential atmospheric compositions of the known exoplanets. For that, fundamental physics concepts and the basics of the kinetic theory of gases are used. Additionally, a new list of potentially habitable exoplanets is presented based on the resulting atmospheric compositions and the criteria that Earth-like atmospheres that can host liquid water should be considered habitable. The presented method also provides a preliminary classification of exoplanets similar to Earth (in terms of atmosphere) and their potential habitability. 

2. A study of the impact of the radiation environment on the development and evolution of the human visual system towards optimal use of the available radiation. Human vision's possible evolutionary directions are presented while overcoming the shortcomings in the existing studies. The human visual system is hypothesised to have evolved in conjugation with the prevailing spectral radiation environment for photopic (daytime) and scotopic (night-time). One of the main novelties of this study is the comparison of the human vision bandwidth with the Full Width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the radiation reaching the shallow depths of the ocean, which may suggest that this is optimized for the development of animal sight during the formation of the early proto-visual system. Moreover, the observed maximum absorption wavelength during photopic vision (555nm) correlates with the maximum total energy for a 300 nm vision bandwidth. Furthermore, the analysis of the radiation environment at different solar zenith angles (SZA) during dusk suggests that the scotopic vision evolved to optimize information retrieval during these hours. 

The work presented in this thesis contributes to perform screening of Earth-like exoplanets and the study of astrobiological or space exploration aspects such as potential habitability, human-like vision, photosynthesis efficiency and evolution of life systems on exoplanets. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2022
Series
Doctoral thesis / Luleå University of Technology 1 jan 1997 → …, ISSN 1402-1544
Keywords
Exoplanets, Atmospheres, Habitability, Human vision, Scotopic vision, Photopic vision, Spectral radaition
National Category
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Research subject
Atmospheric science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-93145 (URN)978-91-8048-155-7 (ISBN)978-91-8048-156-4 (ISBN)
Public defence
2022-11-10, A3583, Luleå tekniska universitet, Luleå, 15:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2022-09-29 Created: 2022-09-28 Last updated: 2022-10-20Bibliographically approved

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Konatham, SamuelMartin-Torres, JavierZorzano, Maria-Paz

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