In order to recognize a habitable exoplanet from future observed spectra, we present new model reflected spectra and geometric albedo for modern and prebiotic (3.9 Ga) Earth-like exoplanets orbiting within […]
Proxima Centauri b
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release, Proxima Centauri, Space Weather & Heliophysics
Revisiting The Space Weather Environment Of Proxima Centauri b
Close-in planets orbiting around low-mass stars are exposed to intense energetic photon and particle radiation and harsh space weather.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release, Proxima Centauri, TRAPPIST-1, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Traveling Planetary-scale Waves Cause Cloud Variability On Tidally Locked Aquaplanets
Cloud cover at the planetary limb of water-rich Earth-like planets is likely to weaken chemical signatures in transmission spectra, impeding attempts to characterize these atmospheres.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Proxima Centauri
Lightning-induced Chemistry On tidally-locked Earth-like Exoplanets
Determining the habitability and interpreting atmospheric spectra of exoplanets requires understanding their atmospheric physics and chemistry.
Posted inProxima Centauri
3-D Climate Simulations for the Detectability of Proxima Centauri b
The discovery of a planet orbiting around Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun, opens new avenues for the remote observations of the atmosphere and surface of an exoplanet, […]
Posted inPress Release, Proxima Centauri
The Effect of Substellar Continent Size on Ocean Dynamics of Proxima Centauri b
The potential habitability of tidally locked planets orbiting M-dwarf stars has been widely investigated in recent work, typically with a non-dynamic ocean and without continents. On Earth, ocean dynamics are […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release, Proxima Centauri
Atmospheric Convection Plays A Key Role In The Climate Of Tidally-locked Terrestrial Exoplanets: Insights From High-resolution Simulations
Using a 3D general circulation model (GCM), we investigate the sensitivity of the climate of tidally-locked Earth-like exoplanets, Trappist-1e and Proxima Centauri b, to the choice of a convection parameterization. […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release, Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri b: A Strong Case for Including Cosmic-Ray-induced Chemistry in Atmospheric Biosignature Studies
Due to its Earth-like minimum mass of 1.27 ME and its close proximity to our Solar system, Proxima Centauri b is one of the most interesting exoplanets for habitability studies.
Posted inPress Release, Proxima Centauri
Proxima Centauri b Is Not A Transiting Exoplanet
We report Spitzer Space Telescope observations during predicted transits of the exoplanet Proxima Centauri b. As the nearest terrestrial habitable-zone planet we will ever discover, any potential transit of Proxima […]
Posted inPress Release, Proxima Centauri
Exploring the Climate of Proxima B with the Met Office Unified Model
We present results of simulations of the climate of the newly discovered planet Proxima Centauri B, performed using the Met Office Unified Model (UM). We examine the responses of both […]