In the past, measures of the “Earth-likeness” of exoplanets have been qualitative, considering an abiotic Earth, or requiring discretionary choices of what parameters make a planet Earth-like.
Earthlike planet
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
The CARMENES Search For Exoplanets Around M Dwarfs. Occurrence Rates of Earth-like Planets Around Very Low-mass Stars
Aims: Previous estimates of planet occurrence rates in the CARMENES survey indicated increased numbers of planets on short orbits for M dwarfs with masses below 0.34M⊙. Here we focused on […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Ice Giant, Status Report
Research On Super-Earths And Mini-Neptunes Suggests More Earth-like Planets May Exist
A new study by Rice University researchers Sho Shibata and Andre Izidoro presents a compelling new model for the formation of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes — planets that are 1 to […]
Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report
Advancing European High-Contrast Imaging R&D Towards the Habitable Worlds Observatory
The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will enable a transformative leap in the direct imaging and characterization of Earth-like exoplanets.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Potential For Life To Exist And Be Detected On Earth-like Planets Orbiting White Dwarfs
With recent observations confirming exoplanets orbiting white dwarfs, there is growing interest in exploring and quantifying the habitability of temperate rocky planets around white dwarfs.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Pursuing Truth: Improving Retrievals on Mid-Infrared Exo-Earth Spectra with Physically Motivated Water Abundance Profiles and Cloud Models
Atmospheric retrievals are widely used to constrain exoplanet properties from observed spectra. We investigate how the common nonphysical retrieval assumptions of vertically constant molecule abundances and cloud-free atmospheres affect our […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report
Prototyping Liquid-crystal Coronagraphs For Exo-Earth Imaging
This paper presents initial results from the ESA-funded “SUPPPPRESS” project, which aims to develop high-performance liquid-crystal coronagraphs for direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets in reflected light.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Setting The Stage For The Search For Life With The Habitable Worlds Observatory: Properties Of 164 Promising Planet-survey Targets
The Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 has recommended that NASA realize a large IR/optical/UV space telescope optimized for high-contrast imaging and spectroscopy of ∼25 exo-Earths and transformative general […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Retrievals Applied to a Decision Tree Framework Can Characterize Earthlike Exoplanet Analogs
Exoplanet characterization missions planned for the future will soon enable searches for life beyond our solar system. Critical to the search will be the development of life detection strategies that […]
Posted inPress Release
ESO Signs Agreement For ANDES Life-Seeking Spectrograph On The ELT
[ESO] Today, ESO has signed an agreement with an international consortium of institutions for the design and construction of ANDES, the ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph. The ANDES instrument will […]