Comments on: Earthlight’s Bio-signature Measured http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=earthlights-bio-signature-measured The News Forum of the Tau Zero Foundation Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:23:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: andy http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212&cpage=1#comment-72386 andy Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:43:19 +0000 http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212#comment-72386 Well <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/jun/HQ_09-141_SMEX_Selections.html" rel="nofollow">TESS wasn't selected</a>. Ah well. Well TESS wasn’t selected. Ah well.

]]> By: ljk http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212&cpage=1#comment-72307 ljk Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:38:25 +0000 http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212#comment-72307 Deciphering Spectral Fingerprints of Habitable Extrasolar Planets Authors: L. Kaltenegger, F. Selsis, M. Fridlund, H. Lammer, Ch.Beichman, W. Danchi, C. Eiroa, T. Henning, T. Herbst, A. Leger, R. Liseau, J. Lunine, F. Paresce, A. Penny, A. Quirrenbach, H. Roettgering, J. Schneider, D. Stam, G. Tinetti, G. J. White (Submitted on 12 Jun 2009) Abstract: In this paper we discuss how we can read a planets spectrum to assess its habitability and search for the signatures of a biosphere. After a decade rich in giant exoplanet detections, observation techniques have now reached the ability to find planets of less than 10 MEarth (so called Super-Earths) that may potentially be habitable. How can we characterize those planets and assess if they are habitable? The new field of extrasolar planet search has shown an extraordinary ability to combine research by astrophysics, chemistry, biology and geophysics into a new and exciting interdisciplinary approach to understand our place in the universe. The results of a first generation mission will most likely result in an amazing scope of diverse planets that will set planet formation, evolution as well as our planet in an overall context. Comments: 18 pages, 10 figures, accepted in Astrobiology Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM) Cite as: arXiv:0906.2263v1 [astro-ph.EP] Submission history From: Lisa Kaltenegger [view email] [v1] Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:42:23 GMT (1194kb) http://arxiv.org/abs/0906.2263 Deciphering Spectral Fingerprints of Habitable Extrasolar Planets

Authors: L. Kaltenegger, F. Selsis, M. Fridlund, H. Lammer, Ch.Beichman, W. Danchi, C. Eiroa, T. Henning, T. Herbst, A. Leger, R. Liseau, J. Lunine, F. Paresce, A. Penny, A. Quirrenbach, H. Roettgering, J. Schneider, D. Stam, G. Tinetti, G. J. White

(Submitted on 12 Jun 2009)

Abstract: In this paper we discuss how we can read a planets spectrum to assess its habitability and search for the signatures of a biosphere. After a decade rich in giant exoplanet detections, observation techniques have now reached the ability to find planets of less than 10 MEarth (so called Super-Earths) that may potentially be habitable. How can we characterize those planets and assess if they are habitable?

The new field of extrasolar planet search has shown an extraordinary ability to combine research by astrophysics, chemistry, biology and geophysics into a new and exciting interdisciplinary approach to understand our place in the universe.

The results of a first generation mission will most likely result in an amazing scope of diverse planets that will set planet formation, evolution as well as our planet in an overall context.

Comments: 18 pages, 10 figures, accepted in Astrobiology

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM)

Cite as: arXiv:0906.2263v1 [astro-ph.EP]

Submission history

From: Lisa Kaltenegger [view email]

[v1] Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:42:23 GMT (1194kb)

http://arxiv.org/abs/0906.2263

]]> By: John Hunt http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212&cpage=1#comment-72295 John Hunt Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:54:59 +0000 http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212#comment-72295 This is a really exciting report! It wasn't too long ago that we were detecting our first exoplanets. Now we're about to find Earth-sized planets and get a handle on the statistics of how common they are. Then, to think that in a few short years we'll be able to detect evidence of life on planets in the habitable zone, it's almost like we've got a Moore's law equivalent for exoplanet science! This is a really exciting report! It wasn’t too long ago that we were detecting our first exoplanets. Now we’re about to find Earth-sized planets and get a handle on the statistics of how common they are. Then, to think that in a few short years we’ll be able to detect evidence of life on planets in the habitable zone, it’s almost like we’ve got a Moore’s law equivalent for exoplanet science!

]]> By: Adam http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212&cpage=1#comment-72267 Adam Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:55:25 +0000 http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212#comment-72267 I am constantly amazed by how much astronomers are managing to extract from just a few photons disentangled from starshine. Imagine the information that could be milked from an image from a Terrestrial Planet Finder or even that ultimate Observatory, the TP Imager. Then there's the utterly revelatory deluge of data that a telescope parked at the Sun's gravity focus would provide. I am constantly amazed by how much astronomers are managing to extract from just a few photons disentangled from starshine. Imagine the information that could be milked from an image from a Terrestrial Planet Finder or even that ultimate Observatory, the TP Imager. Then there’s the utterly revelatory deluge of data that a telescope parked at the Sun’s gravity focus would provide.

]]> By: Ron S http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212&cpage=1#comment-72265 Ron S Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:53:00 +0000 http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=8212#comment-72265 Are any of the existing planetary missions in a position to view a transit of Earth across the sun? It would be interesting to view the Earth directly, with spectrographic instruments, from some distance in the same way we'd view an exoplanet transit across its star. Reflection of atmospherically-filtered light from the Moon isn't quite the same. Are any of the existing planetary missions in a position to view a transit of Earth across the sun? It would be interesting to view the Earth directly, with spectrographic instruments, from some distance in the same way we’d view an exoplanet transit across its star. Reflection of atmospherically-filtered light from the Moon isn’t quite the same.

]]>