Carbon-bearing Molecules in a Possible HyceanAtmosphere

Abstract The search for habitable environments and biomarkers in exoplanetary atmospheres is the holy grail of exoplanet science. The detection of atmospheric signatures of habitable Earth-like exoplanets is challenging owing to their small planet–star size contrast and thin atmospheres with high mean molecular weight. Recently, a new class of habitable exoplanets, called Hycean worlds, has been proposed, defined as temperate ocean-covered worlds with H 2 -rich atmospheres. Their large sizes and extended atmospheres, compared to rocky planets of the same mass, make Hycean worlds significantly more accessible to atmospheric spectroscopy with JWST. Here we report a transmission spectrum of the candidate Hycean…

• NA
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Awards: 5-03127, NAS 5-03127
• CI
  California Institute of Technology
• DE
  Dell EMC
• ST
  Space Telescope Science Institute

  Awards: 5-03127, NAS 5-03127, JWST-GO-02722
• UR
  UK Research and Innovation

  Awards: EP/X025179/1, Frontier Grant (EP/X025179/1)
• UO
  University of Cambridge

  Award: EP/P020259/1
• FM
  Fondation Merac
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Awards: EP/X025179/1, EP/P020259/1, EP/P020259/, EP/P020259/1
• SA
  Science and Technology Facilities Council
• AD
  Astrophysics Division