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Proxima Centauri b: A Strong Case for Including Cosmic-Ray-induced Chemistry in Atmospheric Biosignature Studies

Scheucher, M.; Herbst, K.; Schmidt, V. 1; Grenfell, J. L.; Schreier, F.; Banjac, S.; Heber, B.; Rauer, H.; Sinnhuber, M. ORCID iD icon 1
1 Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK), Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)

Abstract (englisch):

Due to its Earth-like minimum mass of 1.27 M-E and its close proximity to our solar system, Proxima Centauri b is one of the most interesting exoplanets for habitability studies. Its host star, Proxima Centauri, is however a strongly flaring star, which is expected to provide a very hostile environment for potentially habitable planets. We perform a habitability study of Proxima Centauri b assuming an Earth-like atmosphere under high stellar particle bombardment, with a focus on spectral transmission features. We employ our extensive model suite calculating energy spectra of stellar particles, their journey through the planetary magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere, ultimately providing planetary climate and spectral characteristics, as outlined in Herbst et al. Our results suggest that together with the incident stellar energy flux, high particle influxes can lead to efficient heating of the planet well into temperate climates, by limiting CH4 amounts, which would otherwise run into antigreenhouse for such planets around M stars. We identify some key spectral features relevant for future spectral observations: First, NO2 becomes the major absorber in the visible, which greatly impacts the Rayleigh slope. ... mehr


Verlagsausgabe §
DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000119864
Veröffentlicht am 02.06.2020
Originalveröffentlichung
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ab7b74
Scopus
Zitationen: 21
Web of Science
Zitationen: 20
Dimensions
Zitationen: 24
Cover der Publikation
Zugehörige Institution(en) am KIT Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung – Atmosphärische Spurenstoffe und Fernerkundung (IMK-ASF)
KIT-Zentrum Klima und Umwelt (ZKU)
Publikationstyp Zeitschriftenaufsatz
Publikationsdatum 10.04.2020
Sprache Englisch
Identifikator ISSN: 1538-4357
KITopen-ID: 1000119864
HGF-Programm 12.04.05 (POF III, LK 01) Trends,Variaility,Large-Scale Processes
Erschienen in The astrophysical journal
Verlag Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd (IOP Publishing Ltd)
Band 893
Heft 1
Seiten Article no: 12
Vorab online veröffentlicht am 08.04.2020
Nachgewiesen in Web of Science
Dimensions
Scopus
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