Feasibility on characterizing earth-like planets by their optical variation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muchen Ma
Keyword(s):  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Optical Variation

Detection and Characterization of earth-like Planets

1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 299-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Marie Mariotti ◽  
Alain Léger ◽  
Bertrand Mennesson ◽  
Marc Ollivier
Keyword(s):  
Direct Detection ◽  
Contrast Ratio ◽  
Angular Size ◽  
Physical Nature ◽  
Major Axis ◽  
Infrared Emission ◽  
Space Technology ◽  
Semi Major Axis ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Visible Wavelengths

AbstractIndirect methods of detection of exo-planets (by radial velocity, astrometry, occultations,...) have revealed recently the first cases of exo-planets, and will in the near future expand our knowledge of these systems. They will provide statistical informations on the dynamical parameters: semi-major axis, eccentricities, inclinations,... But the physical nature of these planets will remain mostly unknown. Only for the larger ones (exo-Jupiters), an estimate of the mass will be accessible. To characterize in more details Earth-like exo-planets, direct detection (i.e., direct observation of photons from the planet) is required. This is a much more challenging observational program. The exo-planets are extremely faint with respect to their star: the contrast ratio is about 10−10at visible wavelengths. Also the angular size of the apparent orbit is small, typically 0.1 second of arc. While the first point calls for observations in the infrared (where the contrast goes up to 10−7) and with a coronograph, the latter implies using an interferometer. Several space projects combining these techniques have been recently proposed. They aim at surveying a few hundreds of nearby single solar-like stars in search for Earth-like planets, and at performing a low resolution spectroscopic analysis of their infrared emission in order to reveal the presence in the atmosphere of the planet of CO H2O and O3. The latter is a good tracer of the presence of oxygen which could be, like on our Earth, released by biological activity. Although extremely ambitious, these projects could be realized using space technology either already available or in development for others missions. They could be built and launched during the first decades on the next century.

scholarly journals Venus: key to understanding the evolution of terrestrial planets

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin F. Wilson ◽  
Thomas Widemann ◽  
Richard Ghail
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Radar Imaging ◽  
Space Science ◽  
Interior Surface ◽  
Extended Surface ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Orbital Mission

AbstractIn this paper, originally submitted in answer to ESA’s “Voyage 2050” call to shape the agency’s space science missions in the 2035–2050 timeframe, we emphasize the importance of a Venus exploration programme for the wider goal of understanding the diversity and evolution of habitable planets. Comparing the interior, surface, and atmosphere evolution of Earth, Mars, and Venus is essential to understanding what processes determined habitability of our own planet and Earth-like planets everywhere. This is particularly true in an era where we expect thousands, and then millions, of terrestrial exoplanets to be discovered. Earth and Mars have already dedicated exploration programmes, but our understanding of Venus, particularly of its geology and its history, lags behind. Multiple exploration vehicles will be needed to characterize Venus’ richly varied interior, surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere environments. Between now and 2050 we recommend that ESA launch at least two M-class missions to Venus (in order of priority): a geophysics-focussed orbiter (the currently proposed M5 EnVision orbiter – [1] – or equivalent); and an in situ atmospheric mission (such as the M3 EVE balloon mission – [2]). An in situ and orbital mission could be combined in a single L-class mission, as was argued in responses to the call for L2/L3 themes [3–5]. After these two missions, further priorities include a surface lander demonstrating the high-temperature technologies needed for extended surface missions; and/or a further orbiter with follow-up high-resolution surface radar imaging, and atmospheric and/or ionospheric investigations.

scholarly journals Carbonate-silicate cycle predictions of Earth-like planetary climates and testing the habitable zone concept

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Owen R. Lehmer ◽  
David C. Catling ◽  
Joshua Krissansen-Totton
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Water ◽  
Physicochemical Parameters ◽  
Silicate Weathering ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Incident Flux ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Surface Liquid ◽  
Log Linear

AbstractIn the conventional habitable zone (HZ) concept, a CO2-H2O greenhouse maintains surface liquid water. Through the water-mediated carbonate-silicate weathering cycle, atmospheric CO2 partial pressure (pCO2) responds to changes in surface temperature, stabilizing the climate over geologic timescales. We show that this weathering feedback ought to produce a log-linear relationship between pCO2 and incident flux on Earth-like planets in the HZ. However, this trend has scatter because geophysical and physicochemical parameters can vary, such as land area for weathering and CO2 outgassing fluxes. Using a coupled climate and carbonate-silicate weathering model, we quantify the likely scatter in pCO2 with orbital distance throughout the HZ. From this dispersion, we predict a two-dimensional relationship between incident flux and pCO2 in the HZ and show that it could be detected from at least 83 (2σ) Earth-like exoplanet observations. If fewer Earth-like exoplanets are observed, testing the HZ hypothesis from this relationship could be difficult.

The habitable zone of Earth-mass planets around 47 UMa: results for land and water worlds

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Franck ◽  
M. Cuntz ◽  
W. von Bloh ◽  
C. Bounama
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
System Approach ◽  
Distinct Type ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Stable Orbit ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Very High

In a previous paper, we showed that Earth-type habitable planets around 47 UMa are in principle possible if a distinct set of conditions is warranted. These conditions include that the Earth-type planets have successfully formed and are orbitally stable and, in addition, that the 47 UMa star–planet system is relatively young ([lsim ]6 Gyr). We now extend this study by considering Earth-like planets with different land/ocean coverages. This study is again based on the so-called integrated system approach, which describes the photosynthetic biomass production taking into account a variety of climatological, biogeochemical and geodynamical processes. This approach implies a special characterization of the habitable zone defined for a distinct type of planet. We show that the likelihood of finding a habitable Earth-like planet on a stable orbit around 47 UMa critically depends on the percentage of the planetary land/ocean coverage. The likelihood is significantly increased for planets with a very high percentage of ocean surface (‘water worlds’).

Measuring the melting curve of iron at super-Earth core conditions

Science ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 375 (6577) ◽  
pp. 202-205
Author(s):  
Richard G. Kraus ◽  
Russell J. Hemley ◽  
Suzanne J. Ali ◽  
Jonathan L. Belof ◽  
Lorin X. Benedict ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Inner Core ◽  
Melting Curve ◽  
Radiation Shielding ◽  
Metal Core ◽  
Earth Core ◽  
Core Boundary ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
Earth’S Inner Core ◽  
Core Conditions

Terapascal iron-melting temperature The pressure and temperature conditions at which iron melts are important for terrestrial planets because they determine the size of the liquid metal core, an important factor for understanding the potential for generating a radiation-shielding magnetic field. Kraus et al . used laser-driven shock to determine the iron-melt curve up to a pressure of 1000 gigapascals (see the Perspective by Zhang and Lin). This value is about three times that of the Earth’s inner core boundary. The authors found that the liquid metal core lasted the longest for Earth-like planets four to six times larger in mass than the Earth. —BG

scholarly journals Climate sensitivity to ozone and its relevance on the habitability of Earth-like planets

Icarus ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 321 ◽  
pp. 608-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Illeana Gómez-Leal ◽  
Lisa Kaltenegger ◽  
Valerio Lucarini ◽  
Frank Lunkeit
Keyword(s):  
Climate Sensitivity ◽  
Earth Like Planets

scholarly journals CO2 condensation is a serious limit to the deglaciation of Earth-like planets

2017 ◽  
Vol 476 ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Turbet ◽  
Francois Forget ◽  
Jeremy Leconte ◽  
Benjamin Charnay ◽  
Gabriel Tobie
Keyword(s):  
Earth Like Planets
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