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The quest to discover habitable exoplanets has led to the designing of space telescopes that can hunt for signs of life by analyzing planetary atmospheres. LIFE (Large Interferometer for Exoplanets) is set to join the search focusing specifically on exoplanet biosignatures.
While the JWST has made strides in atmospheric spectra analysis, it has a broad array of responsibilities, resulting in limited observation opportunities. In contrast, LIFE, a planned space telescope, is dedicated to detecting biosignatures and has been put to the test to see if it can identify the life markers on our own planet Earth.
Employing a system of five telescopes that work collectively as an interferometer, ETH Zurich in Switzerland oversees the development of LIFE. This instrument observes mid-infrared wavelengths, optimal for identifying key bioindicative chemicals such as ozone, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Positioned at Lagrange Point 2, the same as the JWST, LIFE will focus on a set of prospective exoplanet targets with the hope of finding signs of life. “Our goal is to detect chemical compounds in the light spectrum that hint at life on the exoplanets,” reports Professor Sascha Quanz from ETH Zurich, who spearheads the LIFE project.
![Future Space Telescope LIFE Aims to Find Life Indicators on Distant Exoplanets : ScienceAlert 3 co2 wasp 39b](https://i0.wp.com/theubj.com/uae/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/co2_wasp_39b.jpg?resize=642%2C394)
As LIFE is in the concept stage, scientists used Earth’s atmosphere as a proxy to test the telescope’s capabilities, utilizing a simulation tool called LIFEsim to handle known atmospheric spectra under various conditions.
Published in The Astronomical Journal, their study, “Large Interferometer For Exoplanets (LIFE). XII. The Detectability of Capstone Biosignatures in the Mid-infrared—Sniffing Exoplanetary Laughing Gas and Methylated Halogens,” led by Dr. Daniel Angerhausen from ETH Zurich, demonstrated that LIFE could indeed detect Earth-like biosignatures, such as CO2, water, ozone, and methane, from about 30 light-years away regardless of seasonal and observational geometry changes.
The researchers also assessed how long LIFE would require to detect these biosignatures, finding that observation times could range from a few days to up to 100 days depending on the target and its distance.
Though LIFE is not yet realized, it represents a promising direction alongside other proposed missions like NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). The findings suggest that if a nearby exoplanetary system possesses N2O and CH3X signals indicative of biological activity, LIFE would be the optimal mission to detect them.
The original source material for this article comes from an Universe Today publication. Please refer to the original article for the full content.
FAQ Section
What is LIFE?
LIFE (Large Interferometer for Exoplanets) is a proposed space telescope that will employ an interferometry system made up of five telescopes operating in unison to detect biosignatures in the atmospheres of exoplanets.
Why is LIFE different from the JWST?
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has a broader range of scientific goals, resulting in high demand for its observation time. LIFE, on the other hand, is dedicated solely to the study of exoplanet biosignatures, which could allow for more focused and consistent observations.
Where will LIFE be located?
LIFE is planned to be situated at the second Lagrange Point (L2) – about 1.5 million kilometers (or approximately 1 million miles) from Earth – which is the same location as the JWST.
What kind of biosignatures can LIFE detect?
LIFE is designed to detect biosignatures such as ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, water, and carbon dioxide in the atmospheres of exoplanets. These elements and compounds are considered indicators of potentially habitable conditions and biological activity.
What determines the observation time required by LIFE?
The time LIFE needs to effectively observe biosignatures on an exoplanet varies depending on the distance to the target and the planetary conditions, ranging approximately from a few days to 100 days.
Is the LIFE telescope already in action?
No, LIFE is currently a concept and has not been built or launched. It is still undergoing planning and testing.
Conclusion
The Large Interferometer for Exoplanets initiative is a promising step towards detecting and studying extraterrestrial biosignatures with greater specialization and efficiency than currently possible. The successful test indicating LIFE’s potential to identify life-supporting conditions on planets beyond our solar system bolsters optimism in the astrobiology field. As the scientific community awaits the realization of this mission, the potential to answer the profound question of whether we are alone in the universe inches closer.