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Searching for liquid water on exoplanets with CO2

Searching for liquid water on exoplanets with CO2
Searching for liquid water on exoplanets with CO2 This image illustrates a method for identifying planets outside our Solar System that might support life, focusing on detecting worlds with liquid water oceans by measuring the reduction of carbon dioxide in their atmospheres. On the right side of the image, different planets are shown near a star, each representing a unique scenario. On the left side, the image features a simulation showing the light spectrum of the planet TRAPPIST-1 f from JWST, which has the potential for climate conditions similar to Earth's. The illustration demonstrates how about 10 observations with the JWST/NIRSpec Prism, the minimum number required, can help determine if this planet has an atmosphere. This is indicated by specific light absorption features of carbon dioxide, especially noticeable at a wavelength of 4.3 micrometers. The image also includes a diagram at the bottom right that simplifies how a planet’s biology and bodies of liquid water might interact to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. University of Birmingham / MIT / Triaud et al.