Kepler 22-b: Water world ?

[Ezechiel]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16055120

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011...e-nearly-all-kepler-planets-may-be-real-deal/

Nasa confirmed the existence of Kepler 22-b, which is 600 light years away and has a surface temperature of 22 degrees celsius (71.6 Fahrenheit).

Now we need to confirm a water signature.

http://www.space.com/3673-water-extrasolar-planet-atmosphere.html

... and guess what, with all the new Kepler planets as targets, someone has injected funds to re-animate the Allen telescope array.

http://www.space.com/13832-seti-ata-search-kepler-planet-candidates.html

Astronomers have rebooted their search for intelligent life on alien planets, and they've got thousands of targets to scan.

 

[trainedobserver]

The trick would be to detect a polluted water signature wouldn't it? I wonder if they have the capability to detect the presence of industrial waste products in the atmospheres of these distant planets?

 

[Snidely Whiplash]

I'll say it before Gene does, Lets hope this "Water World" is better than the movie with Kevin Costner.

 

[Ezechiel]

The trick would be to detect a polluted water signature wouldn't it? I wonder if they have the capability to detect the presence of industrial waste products in the atmospheres of these distant planets?

Might be a short window of opportunity. There must be a threashold where pollution forces inhabitants to either leave the planet or build artificial underground installations and eco-systems... having destroyed the natural protections of their home planets (ie. ozone).