Exoplanet Biosignatures: Future Directions

80Citations
Citations of this article
182Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

We introduce a Bayesian method for guiding future directions for detection of life on exoplanets. We describe empirical and theoretical work necessary to place constraints on the relevant likelihoods, including those emerging from better understanding stellar environment, planetary climate and geophysics, geochemical cycling, the universalities of physics and chemistry, the contingencies of evolutionary history, the properties of life as an emergent complex system, and the mechanisms driving the emergence of life. We provide examples for how the Bayesian formalism could guide future search strategies, including determining observations to prioritize or deciding between targeted searches or larger lower resolution surveys to generate ensemble statistics and address how a Bayesian methodology could constrain the prior probability of life with or without a positive detection.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Walker, S. I., Bains, W., Cronin, L., Dassarma, S., Danielache, S., Domagal-Goldman, S., … Smith, H. B. (2018). Exoplanet Biosignatures: Future Directions. Astrobiology, 18(6), 779–824. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2017.1738

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free