The Influence of Cosmic Rays on Exoplanetary Atmospheric Biosignatures

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The proposal will combine modeling expertise from atmospheric science with astroparticle physics to create the hitherto best predictions of potential atmospheric biosignatures outside the solar system. Planets in the habitable zones of their host stars are already being found, but mainly orbiting cooler stars, which are favored observational targets. However, the atmospheres of such planets are likely to be influenced by energetic particles and photons, so that biosignatures and their detectability have to be put into question. To address this issue consistently, we will trace energetic particles of Galactic or stellar cosmic rays through the exoplanetary magnetosphere and combine models describing the physical interactions in the atmosphere with 1D atmospheric chemistry-climate models, which then describe the effects on atmospheric biosignatures. We will perform a consistent iteration between climate variables, chemical constituents and air shower interactions between cosmic rays and the atmosphere, in order to predict the effect on key biosignatures such as ozone. We will calculate theoretical spectra to provide a link with next generation planned space missions such as the JWST and the E-ELT.