The Key to Unlocking Exoplanet Biosignatures: a UK-led IR Spectrograph for the Habitable Worlds Observatory Coronagraph

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of a UK-led near-infrared spectrograph for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, aimed at detecting biosignatures on exoplanets by analyzing multiple atmospheric molecules across a broad spectrum.

Contribution

It introduces a novel UK-led near-infrared integral field spectrograph for the HWO, enhancing the capability to detect biosignatures on habitable exoplanets.

Findings

Spectra across 0.3-1.7 μm are essential for biosignature detection.

Simultaneous detection of O2 and CH4 indicates disequilibrium chemistry.

UK-led spectrograph will strengthen scientific leadership in exoplanet biosignature search.

Abstract

The detection of life on rocky exoplanets in the habitable zones of nearby stars would be a paradigm-shifting advance, and it is one of the greatest scientific challenges of our time. There is no single spectral feature that is an unambiguous sign of life on a given exoplanet. Instead, the current state-of-the-art approach involves detecting multiple molecular atmospheric features that should not exist together in equilibrium, e.g. simultaneous detection of O$_2$ and CH$_4$. Spectra across a wide wavelength (0.3-1.7 $\mu$m) range are necessary to cover multiple spectral features per molecule of interest and to contextualise the suite of molecular features detected. While the US will lead the optical arm of the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) coronagraph, a UK-led contribution of a near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS) for the infrared arm will ensure UK leadership in the flagship scientific goal of HWO - to search for signatures of life on potentially habitable exoplanets.