Astrophysics of Life: Proceedings of the Space Telescope Science Institute Symposium, held in Baltimore, Maryland May 6–9, 2002

by Edited by Mario Livio , I. Neill Reid , William B. Sparks

• ISBN13: 9780521824903
• ISBN10: 0521824907
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-02-21
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Astrobiology is one of the hottest areas of current research, reflecting not only impressive advances in the understanding of the origin of life but also the discovery of over 100 extrasolar planets in recent years. This volume is based on a meeting held in 2002 at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which aimed to lay the astrophysical groundwork for locating habitable places in the Universe. Written by leading scientists in the field, it covers a range of topics relevant to the search for life in the Universe, including: cosmology and its implications for the emergence of life, the habitable zone in the Milky Way Galaxy, the formation of stars and planets, the study of interstellar and interplanetary matter, searches for extrasolar planets, the synthesis of organic material in space, and spectroscopic signatures that could be used to detect life. This is an invaluable resource for both professional researchers and graduate students.

Table of Contents

Participants	vii
Preface	xi
A voyage from dark clouds to the early Earth	1	(20)
P. Ehrenfreund
S. B. Charnley
O. Botta
Galactic environment of the Sun and stars: Interstellar and interplanetary material	21	(14)
P. C. Frisch
H. R. Muller
G. P. Zank
C. Lopate
Transits	35	(6)
R. L. Gilliland
Planet migration	41	(13)
E. W. Thommes
J. J. Lissauer
Organic synthesis in space	54	(13)
S. A. Sandford
The vegetation red edge spectroscopic feature as a surface biomarker	67	(9)
S. Seager
E. B. Ford
Search for extra-solar planets through gravitational lensing	76	(13)
K. C. Sahu
The Galactic Habitable Zone	89	(9)
G. Gonzalez
Cosmology and life	98
M. Livio