title: Planetary atmosphere evolution: do other habitable planets exist and can we detect them?
abstract: The goal of this conference is to consider whether it is possible within the next few decades to detect Earth-like planets around other stars using telescopes or interferometers on the ground or in space. Implicit in the term "Earth-like" is the idea that such planets might be habitable by Earth-like organisms, or that they might actually be inhabited. Here, I shall address two questions from the standpoint of planetary atmosphere evolution. First, what are the chances that habitable planets exist around other stars? And, second, if inhabited planets exist, what would be the best way to detect them?
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kasting
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry; D002980:Climate; D018534:Earth, Planet; D019419:Evolution, Planetary; D005118:Extraterrestrial Environment; D018535:Mars; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis*; D010126:Ozone / Q000032:analysis; D017640:Silicates / Q000737:chemistry; D018536:Venus; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D017640:Silicates; D014867:Water; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010126:Ozone; D010100:Oxygen