170 research outputs found
Uncertainty in phosphine photochemistry in the Venus atmosphere prevents a firm biosignature attribution
Context. The possible detection of phosphine (PH3) in the clouds of Venus has raised the question as to which processes could produce such large abundances of PH3. Previous studies suggested that abiotic processes including photochemical production cannot explain the claimed PH3 concentrations. However, the photochemistry of phosphorus-bearing species in the atmosphere of Venus is not well known.
Aims. We aim to assess the abiotic production of PH3 considering the effect of uncertainties in the chemical rate coefficients of phosphorus-containing reactions.
Methods. Using a photochemical column model, we simulated Venus-like conditions and varied the chemical rate coefficients with a Monte Carlo (MC) approach in order to estimate the associated error in the PH3 abundances throughout the atmosphere.
Results. Current uncertainties and missing data in photochemical rate coefficients lead to a variation of about six orders of magnitude in the modelled PH3 abundance on Venus, assuming photochemical production of PH3 from tetraphosphorus hexoxide (P4O6) pathways. Our results suggest an abiotically produced upper limit of 2 ppb PH3 between 50 and 60 km. These concentrations are in the range of a recent reanalysis of Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) data, suggesting planet-averaged abundances in PH3 of 1–4 ppb above 55 km. Future observations of phosphorus monoxide (PO) on Venus would be beneficial for increasing our confidence in assessing PH3 as a biosignature.
Conclusions. We conclude that due to the large uncertainties in phosphorus chemistry, even a firm detection of several ppb PH3 in the Venus atmosphere would not necessarily mean a biological origin
Evolution and Spectral Response of a Steam Atmosphere for Early Earth with a coupled climate-interior model
The evolution of Earth's early atmosphere and the emergence of habitable
conditions on our planet are intricately coupled with the development and
duration of the magma ocean phase during the early Hadean period (4 to 4.5 Ga).
In this paper, we deal with the evolution of the steam atmosphere during the
magma ocean period. We obtain the outgoing longwave radiation using a
line-by-line radiative transfer code GARLIC. Our study suggests that an
atmosphere consisting of pure HO, built as a result of outgassing extends
the magma ocean lifetime to several million years. The thermal emission as a
function of solidification timescale of magma ocean is shown. We study the
effect of thermal dissociation of HO at higher temperatures by applying
atmospheric chemical equilibrium which results in the formation of H and
O during the early phase of the magma ocean. A 1-6\% reduction in the OLR
is seen. We also obtain the effective height of the atmosphere by calculating
the transmission spectra for the whole duration of the magma ocean. An
atmosphere of depth ~100 km is seen for pure water atmospheres. The effect of
thermal dissociation on the effective height of the atmosphere is also shown.
Due to the difference in the absorption behavior at different altitudes, the
spectral features of H and O are seen at different altitudes of the
atmosphere. Therefore, these species along with HO have a significant
contribution to the transmission spectra and could be useful for placing
observational constraints upon magma ocean exoplanets.Comment: 22 pages, 17 Figures, accepted for publication in ApJ on March
The Role of N2 as a Geo-Biosignature for the Detection and Characterization of Earth-like Habitats
Since the Archean, N2 has been a major atmospheric constituent in Earth's
atmosphere. Nitrogen is an essential element in the building blocks of life,
therefore the geobiological nitrogen cycle is a fundamental factor in the long
term evolution of both Earth and Earth-like exoplanets. We discuss the
development of the Earth's N2 atmosphere since the planet's formation and its
relation with the geobiological cycle. Then we suggest atmospheric evolution
scenarios and their possible interaction with life forms: firstly, for a
stagnant-lid anoxic world, secondly for a tectonically active anoxic world, and
thirdly for an oxidized tectonically active world. Furthermore, we discuss a
possible demise of present Earth's biosphere and its effects on the atmosphere.
Since life forms are the most efficient means for recycling deposited nitrogen
back into the atmosphere nowadays, they sustain its surface partial pressure at
high levels. Also, the simultaneous presence of significant N2 and O2 is
chemically incompatible in an atmosphere over geological timescales. Thus, we
argue that an N2-dominated atmosphere in combination with O2 on Earth-like
planets within circumstellar habitable zones can be considered as a
geo-biosignature. Terrestrial planets with such atmospheres will have an
operating tectonic regime connected with an aerobe biosphere, whereas other
scenarios in most cases end up with a CO2-dominated atmosphere. We conclude
with implications for the search for life on Earth-like exoplanets inside the
habitable zones of M to K-stars
Redox state and interior structure control on the long-term habitability of stagnant-lid planets
A major goal in the search for extraterrestrial life is the detection of
liquid water on the surface of exoplanets. On terrestrial planets, volcanic
outgassing is a significant source of atmospheric and surface water and a major
contributor to the long-term evolution of the atmosphere. The rate of volcanism
depends on the interior evolution and on numerous feedback processes between
atmosphere and interior, which continuously shape atmospheric composition,
pressure, and temperature. We present the results of a comprehensive 1D model
of the coupled evolution of the interior and atmosphere of rocky exoplanets
that combines central feedback processes between these two reservoirs. We
carried out more than \num{280000} simulations over a wide range of mantle
redox states and volatile content, planetary masses, interior structures and
orbital distances in order to robustly assess the emergence, accumulation and
preservation of surface water on rocky planets. To establish a conservative
baseline of which types of planets can outgas and sustain water on their
surface, we focus here on stagnant-lid planets. We find that only a narrow
range of the mantle redox state around the iron-w\"ustite buffer allows the
formation of atmospheres that lead to long-term habitable conditions. At
oxidizing conditions similar to those of the Earth's mantle, most stagnant-lid
planets end up in a hothouse regime akin to Venus due to strong \ce{CO2}
outgassing. At more reducing conditions, the amount of outgassed greenhouse
gases is often too low to keep surface water from freezing. In addition,
Mercury-like planets with large metallic cores are able to sustain habitable
conditions at an extended range of orbital distances as a result of lower
volcanic activity.Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Spectral features of Earth-like planets and their detectability at different orbital distances around F, G, and K-type stars
We investigate the spectral appearance of Earth-like exoplanets in the HZ of
different main sequence stars at different orbital distances. We furthermore
discuss for which of these scenarios biomarker absorption bands may be detected
during primary or secondary transit with near-future telescopes and
instruments.We analyze the spectra taking into account different filter
bandpasses of two photometric instruments planned to be mounted to the JWST. We
analyze in which filters and for which scenarios molecular absorption bands are
detectable when using the space-borne JWST or the ground-based telescope E-ELT.
Absorption bands of CO2, H2O, CH4 and O3 are clearly visible in high-resolution
spectra as well as in the filters of photometric instruments. However, only
during primary eclipse bands of CO2, H2O and O3 are detectable for all
scenarios when using photometric instruments and an E-ELT telescope setup. CH4
is only detectable at the outer HZ of the K star since here the atmospheric
modeling results in very high abundances. Since the detectable CO2 and H2O
bands overlap, separate bands need to be observed to prove their existence in
the atmosphere. In order to detect H2O in a separate band, a S/N>7 needs to be
achieved for E-ELT observations, e.g. by co-adding at least 10 transit
observations. Using a spaceborne telescope like the JWST enables the detection
of CO2 at 4.3mu, which is not possible for ground-based observations due to the
Earth's atmospheric absorption. Hence combining observations of spaceborne and
groundbased telescopes might allow to detect the presence of the biomarker
molecule O3 and the related compounds H2O and CO2 in a planetary atmosphere.
Other absorption bands using the JWST can only be detected for much higher
S/Ns, which is not achievable by just co-adding transit observations since this
would be far beyond the planned mission time of JWST.(abridged)Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure
Redox state and interior structure control on the long-term habitability of stagnant-lid planets
Context. A major goal in the search for extraterrestrial life is the detection of liquid water on the surface of exoplanets. On terrestrial planets, volcanic outgassing is a significant source of atmospheric and surface water and a major contributor to the long-term evolution of the atmosphere. The rate of volcanism depends on the interior evolution and on numerous feedback processes between the atmosphere and interior, which continuously shape atmospheric composition, pressure, and temperature.
Aims. We explore how key planetary parameters, such as planet mass, interior structure, mantle water content, and redox state, shape the formation of atmospheres that permit liquid water on the surface of planets.
Methods. We present the results of a comprehensive 1D model of the coupled evolution of the interior and atmosphere of rocky exoplanets that combines central feedback processes between these two reservoirs. We carried out more than 280 000 simulations over a wide range of mantle redox states and volatile content, planetary masses, interior structures, and orbital distances in order to robustly assess the emergence, accumulation, and preservation of surface water on rocky planets. To establish a conservative baseline of which types of planets can outgas and sustain water on their surface, we focus here on stagnant-lid planets.
Results. We find that only a narrow range of the mantle redox state around the iron-wĂĽstite buffer allows the formation of atmospheres that lead to long-term habitable conditions. At oxidizing conditions similar to those of the Earth's mantle, most stagnant-lid planets end up in a hothouse regime akin to Venus due to strong CO2 outgassing. At more reducing conditions, the amount of outgassed greenhouse gases is often too low to keep surface water from freezing. In addition, Mercury-like planets with large metallic cores are able to sustain habitable conditions at an extended range of orbital distances as a result of lower volcanic activity
Biomarker Response to Galactic Cosmic Ray-Induced NOx and the Methane Greenhouse Effect in the Atmosphere of an Earthlike Planet Orbiting an M-Dwarf Star
Planets orbiting in the habitable zone (HZ) of M-Dwarf stars are subject to
high levels of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) which produce nitrogen oxides in
earthlike atmospheres. We investigate to what extent this NOx may modify
biomarker compounds such as ozone (O3) and nitrous oxide (N2O), as well as
related compounds such as water (H2O) (essential for life) and methane (CH4)
(which has both abiotic and biotic sources) . Our model results suggest that
such signals are robust, changing in the M-star world atmospheric column by up
to 20% due to the GCR NOx effects compared to an M-star run without GCR effects
and can therefore survive at least the effects of galactic cosmic rays. We have
not however investigated stellar cosmic rays here. CH4 levels are about 10
times higher than on the Earth related to a lowering in hydroxyl (OH) in
response to changes in UV. The increase is less than reported in previous
studies. This difference arose partly because we used different biogenic input.
For example, we employed 23% lower CH4 fluxes compared to those studies. Unlike
on the Earth, relatively modest changes in these fluxes can lead to larger
changes in the concentrations of biomarker and related species on the M-star
world. We calculate a CH4 greenhouse heating effect of up to 4K. O3
photochemistry in terms of the smog mechanism and the catalytic loss cycles on
the M-star world differs considerably compared with the Earth
Sensitivity of Biosignatures on Earth-like Planets orbiting in the Habitable Zone of Cool M-Dwarf Stars to varying Stellar UV Radiation and Surface Biomass Emissions
We find that variations in the UV emissions of cool M-dwarf stars have a
potentially large impact upon atmospheric biosignatures in simulations of
Earth-like exoplanets i.e. planets with Earths development, and biomass and a
molecular nitrogen-oxygen dominated atmosphere. Starting with an assumed
black-body stellar emission for an M7 class dwarf star, the stellar UV
irradiation was increased stepwise and the resulting climate-photochemical
response of the planetary atmosphere was calculated. Results suggest a
Goldilocks effect with respect to the spectral detection of ozone. At weak UV
levels, the ozone column was weak (due to weaker production from the Chapman
mechanism) hence its spectral detection was challenging. At strong UV levels,
ozone formation is stronger but its associated stratospheric heating leads to a
weakening in temperature gradients between the stratosphere and troposphere,
which results in weakened spectral bands. Also, increased UV levels can lead to
enhanced abundances of hydrogen oxides which oppose the ozone formation effect.
At intermediate UV (i.e. with x10 the stellar UV radiative flux of black body
Planck curves corresponding to spectral class M7) the conditions are just right
for spectral detection. Results suggest that the planetary O3 profile is
sensitive to the UV output of the star from about(200-350) nm. We also
investigated the effect of increasing the top-of-atmosphere incoming
Lyman-alpha radiation but this had only a minimal effect on the biosignatures
since it was efficiently absorbed in the uppermost planetary atmospheric layer,
mainly by abundant methane. Earlier studies have suggested that the planetary
methane is an important stratospheric heater which critically affects the
vertical temperature gradient, hence the strength of spectral emission bands
Effect of improved atmospheric opacities in modelling sub-Neptunes
Aims. We investigate the impact of updated atmospheric mean opacity input values on modelled transit radius and the distribution of interior layer mass fractions.
Methods. We developed and applied a coupled interior-atmosphere model. Our straightforward semi-grey calculation of atmospheric temperature enables us to perform thousands of model realisations in a Monte Carlo approach to address potential degeneracies in interior and atmospheric mass fraction. Our main constraints are planetary mass and radius from which our model infers distributions of the internal structure of exoplanetary classes ranging from Super-Earth to Mini-Neptune. We varied the relative masses of gas, envelope, mantle, and core layers subject to constraints on the bulk density from observations, and investigated the effect of updating atmospheric mean opacities.
Results. First, we validate our model output with observed temperature profiles for modern Neptune. We can reproduce the basic features in the middle atmosphere but not the temperature inversion in the upper layers, which is likely because our model lacks aerosol heating. Calculated interiors are generally consistent with modern Neptune. Second, we compare with the well-studied object GJ 1214 b and obtain results that are broadly consistent with previous findings; they suggest correlations between modelled gas, water, and core mass fractions, although these are generally weak. Updating the opacities leads to a change on the order of a few percent in the modelled transit radius. This is comparable in magnitude to the planned accuracy of the PLATO data for planetary radius, suggesting that the opacity update in the model is important to implement
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