From exo-Earths to exo-Venuses: Flux and polarization signatures of reflected light

Context. Terrestrial-type exoplanets in or near stellar habitable zones appear to be ubiquitous. It is, however, unknown which of these planets have temperate, Earth-like climates or for example, extreme Venus-like climates. Aims. Technical tools to distinguish different kinds of terrestrial-type planets are crucial for determining whether a...

Colors of an Earth-like exoplanet: Temporal flux and polarization signals of the Earth

Context. Understanding the total flux and polarization signals of Earth-like planets and their spectral and temporal variability is essential for the future characterization of such exoplanets. Aims. We provide computed total (F) and linearly (Q and U) and circularly (V) polarized fluxes, and the degree of polarization P of sunlight that is...

PyMieDAP: A Python-Fortran tool for computing fluxes and polarization signals of (exo)planets

PYMIEDAP (the Python Mie Doubling-Adding Programme) is a Python-based tool for computing the total linearly and circularly polarized fluxes of incident unpolarized sunlight or starlight that is reflected by solar system planets or moons, respectively, or by exoplanets at a range of wavelengths. The radiative transfer computations are based on...

Circular polarization signals of cloudy (exo)planets

The circular polarization of light that planets reflect is often neglected because it is very small compared to the linear polarization. It could, however, provide information on a planet’s atmosphere and surface, and on the presence of life, because homochiral molecules that are the building blocks of life on Earth are known to reflect...