Experimental Investigation of Soot Rich Planets as Potentially Habitable Worlds

This project explores the "soot line" concept: planets forming between the soot line and the snow line in protoplanetary disks would be rich in refractory organic carbon, developing methane-rich atmospheres similar to Saturn's moon Titan. Using laboratory high-pressure experiments, the research investigates the physical and chemical properties of soot-rich planetary materials and their potential to support habitable conditions, expanding the search for life beyond traditional water-world models.

Principal Investigators: Jie Li, Ted Bergin