CloudEE: A less Cloudy View on Earth-like Exoplanets

The CloudEE project explores whether the exoplanet Trappist-1e, one of the most promising candidates for a habitable world, could support life. Thanks to new technologies like the James Webb Space Telescope, we can now study exoplanet atmospheres in great detail, with clouds playing a crucial role. They heavily influence a planets climate and complicate the interpretation of observational data. CloudEE combines Earth climate research with exoplanet exploration. The latest climate models, originally developed for Earth, can now simulate global atmospheres at a 5-kilometer resolution - a significant improvement over earlier 100-kilometer models. This higher resolution allows more accurate studies of cloud formation and atmospheric dynamics. A major focus is the role of clouds, which can obscure the detection of key gases like water vapor. CloudEE aims to simulate Trappist-1es atmosphere with a spatial resolution of 5 km, enabling more accurate studies about its climate and potential habitability. The findings might also improve Earths climate models, as understanding clouds is critical for both exoplanets and our planet. CloudEE thus hopes to demonstrate how studying distant worlds and Earth can enhance both fields.