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Photochemistry of Terrestrial Exoplanet Atmospheres

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Planetary Exploration and Science: Recent Results and Advances

Part of the book series: Springer Geophysics ((SPRINGERGEOPHYS))

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Abstract

Terrestrial exoplanets are exciting objects to study because they could be potential habitats for extraterrestrial life. Both the search and the characterization of terrestrial exoplanets are flourishing. Particularly, NASA’s Kepler spacecraft has discovered Earth-sized planets receiving similar amount of radiative heat as Earth. Central in the studies of terrestrial exoplanets is to characterize their atmospheres and to search for potential biosignature gases (the atmospheric components that indicate biogenic surface emissions). To achieve this goal, a deep understanding of the key physical and chemical processes that control the atmospheric composition and the atmosphere-surface interaction is pivotal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Renyu Hu

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  1. Renyu Hu
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Correspondence to Renyu Hu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China

    Shuanggen Jin

  2. University of Hawaii-Manoa NASA Astrobiology Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Nader Haghighipour

  3. National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Wing-Huen Ip

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Hu, R. (2015). Photochemistry of Terrestrial Exoplanet Atmospheres. In: Jin, S., Haghighipour, N., Ip, WH. (eds) Planetary Exploration and Science: Recent Results and Advances. Springer Geophysics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-45052-9_12

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