Which non-biological processes can mimic oxygen or methane biosignatures? · revision history

Revision 2

Accepted · core change · record

Changes against revision 1:

Title
Which non-biological processes can mimic oxygen or methane biosignatures?
Plain
Oxygen and methane can sometimes be made by sunlight splitting water or by volcanic and rock-water chemistry, without life. A sign of life must be distinguishable from these.
Precise · changed · core
Revision 1: Enumerate and quantify abiotic pathways that produce detectable O2, O3 or CH4 plus CO2 disequilibrium on rocky planets: H2O photolysis with hydrogen escape, CO2 photolysis in dry atmospheres, serpentinization and volcanic outgassing. For each, derive spectral discriminants (CO, O4, H2O abundance, redox state) measurable by a Habitable Worlds Observatory-class telescope. The answer is a classified list with abundance ranges and discriminants.
Revision 2: Enumerate and quantify abiotic pathways that produce detectable $\mathrm{O_2}$, $\mathrm{O_3}$ or $\mathrm{CH_4}$ plus $\mathrm{CO_2}$ disequilibrium on rocky planets: $\mathrm{H_2O}$ photolysis with hydrogen escape, $\mathrm{CO_2}$ photolysis in dry atmospheres, serpentinization and volcanic outgassing. For each, derive spectral discriminants (CO, O4, $\mathrm{H_2O}$ abundance, redox state) measurable by a Habitable Worlds Observatory-class telescope. The answer is a classified list with abundance ranges and discriminants.
Settled by
Coupled photochemical, geochemical and escape models over the plausible parameter range, with synthetic spectra at expected telescope resolution and signal to noise.
Kind
well-posed
Answer type
classification
References
(empty)
Literature status
open
Status note
(empty)
Posed since
(empty)

Decisions