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. 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 Earth-similarity index in the conservative sample of the Habitable Wolds 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 govern the behavior of the climate, highlighting the need for detailed climate simulations to guide future observations.