Astrosphere Environments and Exoplanet Habitability

The goal of this book is to present current data and theories related to the physical aspects of physical and chemical environments of rocky exoplanets mediated by planet hosting stars from across the disciplines of astrophysics, heliophysics, Solar System and exoplanetary sciences and demonstrate how this can be combined to create observational predictions of planetary habitability conditions.

The book will review the current understanding of our own heliosphere and factors affecting its conditions and evolution in time (from 3 Myr to 4.6 Gyr). It will provide the description of the physical factors of evolving astrospheres including X-ray radiation, stellar winds, super- and megaflares, coronal mass ejections and stellar energetic particle events and various aspects in modelling astrospheres of planet hosting stars. It will then assess the ways these stellar outputs affect the atmospheric escape, chemistry and surface environments of exoplanets and specify the detrimental conditions they may create for extreme space weather environments. It will then discuss the geometry and the role of magnetospheres of exoplanets and their moons on habitability of rocky worlds. Finally, the astrospheres will be put in the context of location within the Milky Way showing how galactic process will affect planetary habitability.

Key Features:

First book to cover Astrosphere environments for exoplanets with and without magnetospheres over a range of stellar types.

Covers an emerging field in stellar and planetary magnetic fields and the role they play in an evolving planetary system that supports habitability.

Emphasises how evolving stellar ionizing radiation fluxes, winds and eruptive events, and galactic process affect planetary environments.

Written by world-leading experts in the field.