Mineral dust increases the habitability of terrestrial planets but confounds biomarker detection

Ian A. Boutle; Manoj Joshi; F. Hugo Lambert; Nathan J. Mayne; Duncan Lyster; James Manners; Robert Ridgway; Krisztian Kohary

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16543-8

Nature Communications (Jun 2020)

Mineral dust increases the habitability of terrestrial planets but confounds biomarker detection

Ian A. Boutle,
Manoj Joshi,
F. Hugo Lambert,
Nathan J. Mayne,
Duncan Lyster,
James Manners,
Robert Ridgway,
Krisztian Kohary

Affiliations

Ian A. Boutle: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
Manoj Joshi: School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
F. Hugo Lambert: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
Nathan J. Mayne: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
Duncan Lyster: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
James Manners: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
Robert Ridgway: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter
Krisztian Kohary: College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16543-8
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

Read online

In this study, the authors investigate in the influence of atmospheric dust on the habitability of exoplanets. They find that atmospheric dust may postpone planetary water loss; for tidally locked planets in particular, dust can significantly widen the habitable zone by cooling the day side and warming the night side.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

About the journal