The Role of Stellar Plasma Interaction in the Evolution of Earth-Like Habitats
Abstract
The detection of EUV heated extended and non-hydrostatic upper atmospheres around Earth-like exoplanets would provide important insights into the evolution of terrestrial planetary atmospheres and their possible magnetic environments. Different scenarios where one can expect that Earth-like planets should experience non-hydrostatic upper atmosphere conditions so that dynamically outward flowing neutral atoms can interact with the stellar plasma flow and huge hydrogen coronae can be produced will be discussed. By observing the size of the extended upper atmospheres and related hydrogen-clouds and by determining the velocities of the surrounding hydrogen atoms, conclusions can be drawn in respect to the origin of the main atmosphere species. We show that the low size and mass of M-type stars makes them preferable targets to observe extended hydrogen clouds around terrestrial exoplanets. Transit follow-up observations in the UV-range of Earth-like exoplanets around M-type stars with space observatories such as the World Space Observatory-UV (WSO-UV) would provide a unique opportunity to shed more light on the early evolution of habitable Earth-like planets, including those of our own Solar System.
- Publication:
-
Workshop on Extraterrestrial life - Beyond our expectations?
- Pub Date:
- May 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012elbe.workE...2K