This chapter reviews proposed exoplanet biosignatures, including their biological origins, observable features, atmospheric sinks, and potentially confounding abiotic sources. Emphasis is placed on material published since past comprehensive reviews while providing a foundational understanding of each named biosignature. Topics include possible gaseous biosignatures (e.g., O2, O3, CH4, N2O, DMS, CH3Cl, C5H8, NH3, PH3), surface biosignatures (e.g., vegetation red edge, other pigment features, polarization signatures), and temporal biosignatures (e.g., atmospheric seasonality). Potential frameworks for assessing remote biosignatures are described. Text and table summaries provide references to relevant original research articles.
@article{arxiv.2404.15431,
title = {An Overview of Exoplanet Biosignatures},
author = {Edward W. Schwieterman and Michaela Leung},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2404.15431},
year = {2024}
}
Comments
Chapter 13 accepted for publication in the Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry (RiMG) Volume 90 on "Exoplanets: Compositions, Mineralogy, and Evolution" edited by Natalie Hinkel, Keith Putirka, and Siyi Xu; 44 pages, 14 figures, and 4 tables