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Planetary atmosphere evolution: do other habitable planets exist and can we detect them?

The goal of this conference is to consider whether it is possible within the next few decades to detect Earth-like planets around other stars using telescopes or interferometers on the ground or in space. Implicit in the term "Earth-like" is the idea that such planets might be habitable by Earth-like organisms, or that they might actually be inhabited. Here, I shall address two questions from the standpoint of planetary atmosphere evolution. First, what are the chances that habitable planets exist around other stars? And, second, if inhabited planets exist, what would be the best way to detect them?.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Ultraviolet radiation from F and K stars and implications for planetary habitability

Now that extrasolar planets have been found, it is timely to ask whether some of them might be suitable for life. Climatic constraints on planetary habitability indicate that a reasonably wide habitable zone exists around main sequence stars with spectral types in the early-F to mid-K range. However, it has not been demonstrated that planets orbiting such stars would be habitable when biologically-damaging energetic radiation is also considered. The large amounts of UV radiation emitted by early-type stars have been suggested to pose a problem for evolving life in their vicinity. But one might also argue that the real problem lies with late-type stars, which emit proportionally less radiation at the short wavelengths (lambda < 200 nm) required to split O2 and initiate ozone formation. We show here that neither of these concerns is necessarily fatal to the evolution of advanced life: Earth-like planets orbiting F and K stars may well receive less harmful UV radiation at their surfaces than does the Earth itself.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

Balloons for planetary exploration

Robotic Balloons (Aerobots) may significantly change the future of in situ planetary exploration. On Mars, the aerobots can fill the gap in resolution/coverage between the orbiters and rovers.

balloons planetary exploration↗

Mars Pathfinder Project: Planetary Constants and Models

This document provides a common set of astrodynamic constants and planetary models for use by the Mars pathfinder Project. It attempts to collect in a single reference all the quantities and models in use across the project during development and for mission operations.

Mars Pathfinder Planetary Constants↗

Inflatable Rovers for Planetary Applications

A new task has recently been initiated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to design, fabricate and test an inflatable rover that can be used for various planetary applications, including operation on the Earth's moon, on Mars, on Saturn's moon Titan and on Jupiter's moon, Europa.

robotics rover planetary Mars Titan inflatable↗