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Hubble Space Telescope Cycle 11 Snapshot Observing Proposal Biosignatures of Kepler 62 e And Kepler f Principal Investigator: DR. RAFAEL ROSARIO JR. Institution: STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY USA/NY Electronic mail: [email protected] Scientific category: Scientific keywords: COOL STARS EXTRA-SOLAR PLANETS, TERRESTRIAL PLANETS, SPECTROSCOPY Instruments: STIS Proprietary period: 6 Number of targets: 2 Abstract This proposal is to take spectra of the exoplanets Kepler-62 e and Kepler-62 f during a transit so as to obtain an spectrum of their respective atmospheres. From these spectra we will look for the molecules call biosignatures. These biosignatures are believe to be signs that planet is inhabitated by extra-terrestrial life. Biosignatures that will be on the look out for are oxygen, oxone, methane and water vapor. DR. RAFAEL ROSARIO JR. Biosignatures of Kepler 62 e And Kepler f PI: Investigator DR. RAFAEL ROSARIO JR. CoI: Total number of investigators: Institution STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY Country USA/NY 2 Observing Summary: Target RA KEPLER-62 E 18 52 51.06 DEC +45 20 59.5 V 13 KEPLER-62 F 18 52 51.06 +45 20 59.5 13 Configuration,mode,aperture spectral elements CCD SPECTROSCOPIC G750L CCD SPECTROSCOPIC G750L Grand total orbit request 2 Total orbits 1 1 2 Flags DR. RAFAEL ROSARIO JR. Biosignatures of Kepler 62 e And Kepler f Scientific Justification The search for life is a question that has had mankind begging for an aswer. It had Galileo see seas on the moon, is the main driving force in Martian Exploration, and great desire to go even further and search for life in moons like Europa and Titan, what at one point was only found in science fiction and comic books. While sending a spacecraft to venture out and explore these exo-planets and return with little green men within a reasonable amount of time is not within current technology, the technology we do have can give us the evidence that the planet has little green men or red one-eyed giants, or maybe even something more human than alien. Possibly all of the above. Kepler-62 e and Kepler-62 f were chosen because of how earth like they are. Their radii are within 2 Earth radii, is have an equilibrium temperature of more than 200 K therefore leaving room for green house gasses to allow for liquid water to run in rivers, lakes and oceans. They are a good distance away which therefore decreases the chances of the planets being tidally locked. As of right now these two planets are most like Earth to date. The biosignatures will show with oxygen at the 760 nm, water vapor in 1100 nm, ozone in the 900 nm and methane in the 700 nm. Reference Des Marais, D. J., Harwit, M., Jucks, K., Kasting, J. F., Lunine, J. I., Lin, D., Seager, S., Schneider, J., Traub, W., & Woolf, N. 2002, Remote Sensing of Planetary Properties and Biosignatures on Extrasolar Terrestrial Planets, Astrobiology, 2, 153-181 Description of the Observations There are two two Objects, Kepler-62 e and Kepler-62 f, both low radius exoplanets on the order of an Earth Radius. The exposure time for these planets will be 1 second in 1 orbit. It will be second exposure because the images will be taken during the transit therefore this will prevent saturation of the equipment. Special Requirements Coordinated Observations Justify Duplications Previous HST Programs 3