Prebiosignature Molecules Can Be Detected in Temperate Exoplanet Atmospheres with JWST

Abstract The search for biosignatures on exoplanets connects the fields of biology and biochemistry to astronomical observation, with hope that we might detect evidence active biological processes worlds outside solar system. Here focus a complementary aspect exoplanet characterization connecting astronomy prebiotic chemistry: molecules associated origin life, prebiosignatures. Prebiosignature surveys in planetary atmospheres offer potential both constrain ubiquity life galaxy provide important tests current syntheses laboratory setting. Here, quantify minimum abundance identified prebiosignature would be required detection by transmission spectroscopy using JWST. We consider prebiosignatures five classes terrestrial planets: an ocean planet, volcanic post-impact super-Earth, early-Earth analog. Using novel modeling test pipeline, simulated JWST noise, find thresholds hydrogen cyanide ( HCN ), sulfide (H 2 S), cyanoacetylene (HC 3 N), ammonia (NH methane (CH 4 acetylene (C H sulfur dioxide (SO nitric oxide (NO), formaldehyde O), carbon monoxide (CO) variety low-mean-molecular-weight (<5) atmospheres. dependence these M dwarf target star number observed transits, finding modest transits (1–10) are numerous candidate planets, including TRAPPIST-1e high-mean-molecular-weight atmosphere. Near Infrared Spectrograph G395M/H instrument is best suited detecting most