Exoplanet Atmospheres

Exoplanet atmospheres refer to the gaseous envelopes surrounding planets that orbit stars outside our solar system, known as exoplanets. These atmospheres can vary widely in composition, density, and structure, heavily influenced by the planet’s size, mass, distance from its star, and the nature of the star itself. Studying exoplanet atmospheres is crucial for understanding their potential habitability, climate, and the chemical processes that occur within them. Techniques such as spectroscopy are often employed to analyze the light from a star that passes through an exoplanet’s atmosphere, allowing scientists to identify the presence of various molecules and elements, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. This research has implications for astrobiology, as it helps determine whether conditions on these distant worlds could support life as we know it.