NAI
2004 Annual Science Report
Virtual Planetary Laboratory (JPL/CalTech)
Reporting | JUL 2003 – JUN 2004
Executive Summary
THE VIRTUAL PLANETARY LABORATORY
Laying the Scientific Foundation for the Search for Life Beyond the Solar System
Because of the vast distances to even the nearest stars, the search for life outside our solar system will be undertaken using astronomical, or “remote-sensing” techniques. While much can be learned about a planet discovered around another star based on the characteristics of the host star and the planet’s position in its solar system, spectroscopy is still our most powerful technique for extrasolar planet characterization. The research of the NASA Astrobiology Institute’s Virtual Planetary Laboratory (VPL) uses computer models of terrestrial planets to understand the nature and potential range of remote-sensing spectroscopic signs of planetary habitability and life which might be encountered by future planet detection and characterization missions.
Terrestrial Planet Detection and Characterization Missions
There are several missions currently in the planning stage to search for and ...
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Victoria Meadows
NAI, ASTEP, ASTID, Exobiology -
TEAM Active Dates:
7/2001 - 6/2006 CAN 2 -
Team Website:
http://vpl.astro.washington.edu/ -
Members:
37 (See All) - Visit Team Page
Project Reports
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Characterization of Terrestrial Planets From Disk-Averaged Spectra: Spatially and Spectrally Resolved Planetary Models
his task uses sophisticated spatially and spectrally-resolved radiative transfer models and data from planets in our own Solar System to explore the detectability of surface and atmospheric properties of terrestrial planets from disk-averaged spectra at a number of different spectral resolutions
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Characterization of Terrestrial Planets From Disk-Averaged Spectra: Earths Around Other Stars
In this task, we have attempted to understand the nature and detectability of biosignatures and planetary characteristics for Earth-like planets around other stars
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
The Virtual Planetary Laboratory – Synthesis and Architecture
With many of the core components operating independently or near completion, this past report period focused on interface design, with focus on development of an Application Programming Interface (API) in Fortran to facilitate communication between different model components
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 4.1 7.2 -
Chemistry Models for Extrasolar Planets
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
The Virtual Planetary Laboratory – The Life Modules
Progress has been made with submodels and fieldwork toward supporting a coherent model of how detectable biosignatures may be produced on extrasolar planets:
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 4.1 5.3 6.1 7.2 -
Analysis of and Discrimination of TPF Planetary Spectra Using Bayesian and Artificial Neural Network Techniques
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Climate Model for Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 5.1 7.1 -
Spectroscopic Databases to Support Extrasolar Planet Modeling
To support efforts to understand the nature and detectability of terrestrial planet characteristics for planets around stars of different spectral type, this task focuses on collecting and preparing full wavelength, continuous stellar spectra for use by the planetary climate and chemistry models (c. f. Task 6).
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
The Abiotic Planetary Model: The Upper and Lower Boundary Condition on the Atmosphere
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 4.1 7.2
Publications
- There are no publications for this team in the 2004 annual report.
2004 Teams
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Arizona State University
Carnegie Institution of Washington
Harvard University
Indiana University, Bloomington
Marine Biological Laboratory
Michigan State University
NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Johnson Space Center
Pennsylvania State University
SETI Institute
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Hawaii, Manoa
University of Rhode Island
University of Washington
Virtual Planetary Laboratory (JPL/CalTech)