Gliese 667C is an M1.5V star with a multi-planet system, including planet candidates in the habitable zone (HZ). The exact number of planets in the system is unclear, because the […]
astro-ph.EP]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Methane, Carbon Monoxide, and Ammonia in Brown Dwarfs and Self-Luminous Giant Planets
We address disequilibrum abundances of some simple molecules in the atmospheres of solar composition brown dwarfs and self-luminous extrasolar giant planets using a kinetics-based 1D atmospheric chemistry model. We employ […]
Posted inTitan
ALMA Measurements of the HNC and HC3N Distributions in Titan's atmosphere
We present spectrally and spatially-resolved maps of HNC and HC3N emission from Titan’s atmosphere, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) on 2013 November 17. These maps show anisotropic […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Formation, Habitability, and Detection of Extrasolar Moons
The diversity and quantity of moons in the Solar System suggest a manifold population of natural satellites exist around extrasolar planets. Of peculiar interest from an astrobiological perspective, the number […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Plant Biology
Surface Flux Patterns on Planets in Circumbinary Systems, and Potential for Photosynthesis
Recently, the Kepler Space Telescope has detected several planets in orbit around a close binary star system. These so-called circumbinary planets will experience non-trivial spatial and temporal distributions of radiative […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release, tau Ceti
Debris Disk of Solar Analogue Tau Ceti
Tau Ceti is a nearby, mature G-type star very similar to our Sun, with a massive Kuiper Belt analogue (Greaves et al. 2004) and possible multiplanet system (Tuomi et al. […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Terrestrial Planet Formation in the Presence of Migrating Super-earths
Super-Earths with orbital periods less than 100 days are extremely abundant around Sun-like stars. It is unlikely that these planets formed at their current locations. Rather, they likely formed at […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Astrophysical Conditions for Planetary Habitability
With the discovery of hundreds of exoplanets and a potentially huge number of Earth-like planets waiting to be discovered, the conditions for their habitability have become a focal point in […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
The Formation of the Kepler-10 Planetary System
In this paper, we investigate the conditions required for the 3 and 17 Earth mass solid planets in the Kepler-10 system to have formed through collisions and mergers within an […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Probing the Terrestrial Regions of Planetary Systems: Warm Debris Disks with Emission Features
Observations of debris disks allow for the study of planetary systems, even where planets have not been detected. However, debris disks are often only characterized by unresolved infrared excesses that […]