Proxima Cen b: theoretical spectral signatures for different atmospheric scenarios

Proxima Cen b is possibly the nearest rocky exoplanet orbiting in the habitable zone of its star and might represent by consequent a formidable opportunity for astrobiology. In this presentation, we discuss several possible atmospheric compositions and present the corresponding infrared spectrum computed with modern planetary atmosphere models. To be specific, we consider (1) a bare planet, which has lost its atmosphere; (2) a water-ocean planet; (3) an Earth-analog planet; and (4) a planet similar to Earth but with a lower O2 pressure (< 1mbar) that produces a false positive for the triple signature (H20, O3, and CO2). We discuss the information contained in each infrared spectrum and the possibility to constrain the nature of the planet by remote sensing. We end this presentation by describing an instrumental concept recently proposed to ESA and optimised for this task.