Detectability Simulations of a Near-infrared Surface Biosignature on Proxima Centauri b with Future Space Observatories
Telescope missions are currently being designed that will make direct imaging of habitable exoplanets possible in the near future, and studies are needed to quantify the detectability of biosignature features in the planet's reflectance spectrum. We simulated the detectability of
Selection note: Curated because “Detectability Simulations of a Near-infrared Surface Biosignature on Proxima Centauri b with Future Space Observatories” covers Exoplanet astronomy, Astrobiology, Biosignatures, Planetary surfaces; it materially informs GShips work on biosignatures and target characterization.
Evidence boundary: NTRS provides open full text, but this reprint (version printed in journal) was screened for curation rather than independently or domain reviewed; inclusion is contextual, not automatic claim evidence.
Stable record
ntrs-20240014036
Topic
destinations-astrobiology
Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Authors
Connor O Metz; Nancy Y Kiang; Geronimo L Villanueva; M N Parenteau; Vincent Kofman
Year
2024
Editorial state
metadata curated editorial draft
Reviewer
GShips Project editorial synthesis
Official link checked
2026-07-25
Source-supplied abstract
Telescope missions are currently being designed that will make direct imaging of habitable exoplanets possible in the near future, and studies are needed to quantify the detectability of biosignature features in the planet's reflectance spectrum. We simulated the detectability of a near-infrared-absorbing surface biosignature feature with simulated observations of the nearby exoplanet Proxima Centauri b. We modeled a biosignature spectral feature with a reflectance spectrum based on an anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterial species that has strong absorption at 1 μm, which could make it well suited for life on an M-dwarf-hosted planet. We modeled the distribution of this organism across the planet's surface based on climate states from a 3D general circulation model (GCM) that were Archean- and Proterozoic-like exo-Earth analogs. We included the GCM states' prognostically simulated water clouds and added organic haze into the Archean-like atmospheres. We simulated observations of these Proxima Centauri b scenarios with the LUVOIR-A and B telescope concepts, with LUVOIR-B serving as a proxy to the planned Habitable Worlds Observatory. We calculated the integration times necessary to detect the biosignature and found that it would be detectable on Proxima Centauri b if the organism is moderately abundant (greater than a 1%–4% global surface area coverage), as long as the atmosphere is transmitting in the wavelength range under consideration. Small amounts of methane, clouds, and haze do not greatly impede detectability. We found preliminary evidence that such a biosignature would be detectable on exoplanets within 15 pc, but further investigations are needed to corroborate this.
Abstract text has not been adopted as a GShips conclusion.
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NTRS provides open full text, but this reprint (version printed in journal) was screened for curation rather than independently or domain reviewed; inclusion is contextual, not automatic claim evidence.
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People, review, and conflicts
Prepared by
GShips Project
Editorial status
metadata-curated-editorial-draft
Editorial reviewer
GShips Project editorial synthesis
Last editorial review
No editorial-review date recorded
Independent review
pending
Independent reviewer
No independent reviewer assigned
Last independent review
No independent-review date exists
Last content edit
Not recorded separately
Official source or link verified
2026-07-25
Declared conflicts
The maintainer intends to explore a commercial venture based on some GShips work. No entity, outside funding, customer, sponsor, or indexed-organization relationship currently exists.