The prospect of finding ocean-bearing exoplanets has been boosted, thanks to a pioneering new study. An international team of scientists, including from the University of Exeter, has discovered an immense […]
extrasolar
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release
Effect of UV Radiation on the Spectral Fingerprints of Earth-like Planets Orbiting M dwarfs
We model the atmospheres and spectra of Earth-like planets orbiting the entire grid of M dwarfs for active and inactive stellar models with Teff = 2300K to Teff = 3800K […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Photochemistry Generated by Stellar Cosmic Rays for Planets in the Habitable Zone of M-Dwarf Stars
Understanding whether M-dwarf stars may host habitable planets with Earth-like atmospheres and biospheres is a major goal in exoplanet research. If such planets exist, the question remains as to whether […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Origin and Stability of Exomoon Atmospheres: Implications for Habitability
We study the origin and escape of catastrophically outgassed volatiles (H2O, CO2) from exomoons with Earth-like densities and masses of 0.1M⊕, 0.5M⊕ and 1M⊕ orbiting an extra-solar gas giant inside […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Impact flux of Asteroids and Water Transport to the Habitable Zone in Binary Star Systems
By now, observations of exoplanets have found more than 50 binary star systems hosting 71 planets. We expect these numbers to increase as more than 70% of the main sequence […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Circular Orbits Identified for Small Exoplanets
Viewed from above, our solar system’s planetary orbits around the sun resemble rings around a bulls-eye. Each planet, including Earth, keeps to a roughly circular path, always maintaining the same […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release
The Role of Dynamics on the Habitability of an Earth-like Planet
From the numerous detected planets outside the Solar system, no terrestrial planet comparable to our Earth has been discovered so far. The search for an Exo-Earth is certainly a big […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones
Rocky Planets in the Habitable Zone of Tight Binary Stars with a Known Gas Giant
Locating planets in HabitableZones (HZs) around other stars is a growing field in contemporary astronomy. Since a large percentage of all G-M stars in the solar neighbourhood are expected to […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Hydrodynamic Simulations of Captured Protoatmospheres Around Earth-like Planets
Young terrestrial planets, when they are still embedded in a circumstellar disk, accumulate an atmosphere of nebula gas. The evolution and eventual evaporation of the protoplanetary disk affect the structure […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release
Magma Oceans with a Steam Atmosphere: Detectability by Future Direct Imaging
We present the thermal evolution and emergent spectra of solidifying terrestrial planets along with the formation of steam atmospheres. The lifetime of a magma ocean and its spectra through a […]