Searching for Signs of Life Beyond the Solar System with the Coming Generation of Extremely Large Telescopes

Andrew Szentgyorgyi
SAO Astrophysicist, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Since the discovery of planets orbiting Main Sequence stars other than the Sun (exoplanets) in 1995, the rate and diversity of exoplanet discovery has accelerated exponentially. It is now possible to measure the atmospheric properties of many exoplanets, often including the composition of those atmospheres. The existence of life on Earth is evidenced by the composition of Earth's atmosphere, primarily by the disequilibrium balance of O2 and O3 in Earth's atmosphere. While the detection of molecular oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres is not possible with existing 6.5 to 10 meter aperture telescopes, detailed modeling suggest that a search for oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres will be enabled by the coming generation of extremely large telescopes. Dr. Szentgyorgyi will provide context and background that underpins this optimism and describe some of the instrumentation required to undertake this
observational program.