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Exoplanets pp 285–303Cite as

Moons of Exoplanets: Habitats for Life?

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Abstract

Moon systems exhibit diverse characteristics, and present unique environments. In our own Solar System the majority of giant planet moons harbor substantial water ice mantles. The inferred internal structure, and observed activity, of many suggests the potential for extensive subsurface liquid water, both currently and in the past. Liquid water is vital for all forms of terrestrial life, through its integrated roles in biochemistry and geophysics. By contrast, the thick atmosphere and rich, low-temperature, hydrocarbon chemistry of Titan points towards a highly complex surface environment paralleling some of the conditions on the early Earth, and conceivably offering alternative pathways for complex phenomena such as life.

There is good reason to hypothesize that giant exoplanets will harbor significant moon systems. These may share many characteristics with those in our own Solar System, as well as represent alternatives - possibly including temperate Mars or Earth sized bodies. Detecting the presence of moons in exoplanetary systems is rapidly approaching feasibility, and will open a new window on such objects and their potential habitability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Columbia Astrobiology Center Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, 550 West 120th Street, MC5247, New York, NY, 10027, USA

    Caleb A. Scharf

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  1. Caleb A. Scharf
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  1. Olympus Mons, 51 Orchard Way, Barnham West Sussex, PO22 0HX, UK

    John W. Mason

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Scharf, C.A. (2008). Moons of Exoplanets: Habitats for Life?. In: Mason, J.W. (eds) Exoplanets. Springer Praxis Books. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74008-7_11

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