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Could hazy exoplanet atmospheres be hiding important clues about alien worlds?
Many potentially habitable planets orbit small, active stars that frequently unleash powerful bursts of ultraviolet radiation. New research shows that this radiation can alter the chemistry and optical properties of atmospheric hazes, changing what astronomers see when they observe these distant worlds.
Join host Dr. Moiya McTier as she welcomes graduate researcher Lori Huseby (University of Arizona) and Dr. Sarah Moran (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) to discuss how laboratory experiments are helping scientists understand the effects of stellar radiation on water-rich exoplanet atmospheres. Their findings could improve how we interpret observations from the James Webb Space Telescope and future missions searching for signs of habitability beyond our Solar System.
How do stellar flares reshape alien skies? What do atmospheric hazes tell us about a planet's environment? And could understanding these hazes help us identify worlds capable of supporting life?
Tune in live and bring your questions!
Host: Moiya McTier
Guests: Lori Huseby and Sarah Moran
Paper: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ae6cdb
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