Characterization and retrieval of atmospheric parameters of terrestrial extrasolar planets around cool host stars

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Heike Rauer; Dr. Franz Schreier
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2015 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 282760199

Characterizing atmospheres of hot Super-Earth (SE) orbiting M-dwarf stars is the next logical step in the search for Earth-like worlds. The main challenges are (1) to explore the range of possible conditions (temperature, pressure, composition etc.) and (2) to retrieve the state of the atmosphere from spectroscopic observations. We aim to refine and apply (1) our (chemistry-convection-climate) code to study atmospheres near the inner edge of the habitable zone; and 2) versatile solvers for the ill-posed inverse problem to estimate atmospheric parameters from spectra. Very little is known about SE exoplanet atmospheres; the retrieval code should therefore be flexible. Accordingly climate modeling will help to provide a library of synthetic observations encompassing the large variety of spectra to be expected and a priori estimates of the atmospheric state serving as initial guess or constraints. Combining our expertise, we will address the questions: which are the key parameters affecting climate, habitability, and biosignatures, what will atmospheric spectra look like, and what information can be retrieved by spectroscopy?

• DFG Programme: Research Grants