Characterization of extrasolar terrestrial planets from diurnal photometric variability.pdf

1 Characterization of extrasolar terrestrial planets from diurnal photometric variability E. B. Ford*, S. Seager? E. L. Turner* *Princeton University Observatory, Peyton Hall, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA ?Institute for Advanced Study, Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA The detection of massive planets orbiting nearby stars has become almost routine1,2, but current techniques are as yet unable to detect terrestrial planets with masses comparable to the Earth’s. Future space-based observatories to detect Earth-like planets are being planned. Terrestrial planets orbiting in the habitable zones of stars—where planetary surface conditions are compatible with the presence of liquid water—are of enormous interest because they might have global environments similar to Earths and even harbor life. The light scattered by such a planet will vary in intensity and colour as the planet rotates; the resulting light curve will contain information about the planets properties. Here we report a model that predicts features that should be discernible in light curves obtained by low-precision photometry. For extrasolar planets similar to Earth we expect daily flux variations up to hundreds of percent, depending sensitively on ice and cloud cover. Qualitative changes in surface or climate generate significant changes in the predicted light curves. This work suggests that the meteorological variability and the rotation period of an Earth-like planet could be derived from photometric observations. Other properties such as the composition of the surface (e.g., ocean versus land fraction), climate indicators (for example ice and cloud cover), and perhaps even signatures of Earth-like plant life could be constrained or possibly, with further study, even uniquely determined. NASA and ESA are now considering two ambitious space missions—TPF3 and Darwin4 respectively—to detect and characterize terrestrial planets orbiting nearby Sun- like stars. Although