Energetic–informational coherence: a thermodynamic criterion for exoplanet prioritization

Title
Energetic–Informational Coherence as a Thermodynamic Criterion for Exoplanet Target Prioritization with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Author
Pérez Pulido, C.J.
ISHEA — Institute for Systems Health and Emergent Architecture

Abstract
The classical habitable zone (HZ) defines orbital regions where liquid water may exist, but it does not fully capture the thermodynamic conditions required for the emergence and persistence of organized complexity.

We propose an Energetic–Informational Coherence framework as a complementary criterion for exoplanet prioritization. The framework introduces the Energy–Integrity Coherence Index (EICI), which integrates three measurable dimensions: available stellar energy, planetary structural integrity (including atmospheric retention), and environmental variability.

Preliminary cross-domain analysis suggests that systems capable of sustaining organized complexity occupy a regime of high energetic–informational coherence, while low-coherence regimes are associated with instability or collapse. Applying this formulation to planetary systems enables a physically grounded ranking of targets beyond classical orbital habitability.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, particularly through its Wide Field Instrument (WFI), will provide large-scale photometric and microlensing datasets capable of constraining key EICI components, including stellar irradiation, orbital stability, and population-level exoplanet demographics.

We hypothesize that, within Roman-detected exoplanet populations, targets exhibiting higher inferred coherence values will show an increased probability of retaining stable atmospheres and, in follow-up observations, a higher likelihood of detectable biosignature candidates.

This framework provides a thermodynamic complement to existing habitability metrics and offers a scalable approach for prioritizing targets in next-generation exoplanet surveys.

Keywords
exoplanets · habitability · biosignatures · thermodynamics · Roman Space Telescope · exoplanet demographics · target prioritization

Conference tracks
Exoplanet demographics and atmospheric characterization
New results and emerging questions enabled by Roman

Presentation preference
Oral or Poster