Assessing the Climate and Habitability of Tidally Locked Rocky Exoplanets

Abstract

Tidally locked exoplanets orbiting M dwarf stars are prime targets in the search for habitable worlds, yet their complex climate dynamics challenge conventional models of habitability. We homogeneously estimated the liquid–water habitability of exoplanets with the highest up-to-date Earth similarity index (ESI). We modified the climate model PLASIM to apply it to tidally locked exoplanets across a range of parameters. We systematically classified and compared potentially habitable exoplanets and selected among the ones featuring the highest ESI in the conservative sample of the Habitable Worlds Catalog, both relative to each other and as a function of atmospheric pressure. Our analysis revealed three main climate regimes: Snowball, Hot, and Eyeball planets—the latter having a warm and habitable substellar region with T > 273 K and a localized hydrological cycle. Although surface temperature generally increases with pressure, Eyeball planet climates remain stable in a wide pressure range. Complex atmospheric dynamics rules the behavior of the climate, highlighting the need for detailed climate simulations to guide future observations.