New Insights into Cosmic Ray induced Biosignature Chemistry in Earth-like Atmospheres

TL;DR

This study models how cosmic rays and stellar radiation affect atmospheric biosignatures on Earth-like planets orbiting M-dwarfs, revealing complex chemical interactions that influence potential signs of life.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed 1D climate-chemistry model to analyze cosmic ray effects on biosignatures in M-dwarf exoplanet atmospheres, highlighting the importance of NOx and HOx production uncertainties.

Findings

Cosmic rays can cause significant ozone destruction in the stratosphere.

N2O abundance stabilizes despite increased stellar flaring.

HNO3 may serve as a marker for stellar particle showers.

Abstract

With the recent discoveries of terrestrial planets around active M-dwarfs, destruction processes masking the possible presence of life are receiving increased attention in the exoplanet community. We investigate potential biosignatures of planets having Earth-like (N$_2$-O$_2$) atmospheres orbiting in the habitable zone of the M-dwarf star AD Leo. These are bombarded by high energetic particles which can create showers of secondary particles at the surface. We apply our cloud-free 1D climate-chemistry model to study the influence of key particle shower parameters and chemical efficiencies of NOx and HOx production from cosmic rays. We determine the effect of stellar radiation and cosmic rays upon atmospheric composition, temperature, and spectral appearance. Despite strong stratospheric O$_3$ destruction by cosmic rays, smog O$_3$ can significantly build up in the lower atmosphere of our modeled planet around AD Leo related to low stellar UVB. N$_2$O abundances decrease with increasing flaring energies but a sink reaction for N$_2$O with excited oxygen becomes weaker, stabilizing its abundance. CH$_4$ is removed mainly by Cl in the upper atmosphere for strong flaring cases and not via hydroxyl as is otherwise usually the case. Cosmic rays weaken the role of CH$_4$ in heating the middle atmosphere so that H$_2$O absorption becomes more important. We additionally underline the importance of HNO$_3$ as a possible marker for strong stellar particle showers. In a nutshell, uncertainty in NOx and HOx production from cosmic rays significantly influences biosignature abundances and spectral appearance.