[thoughtomator]

OK I’ll bite. How do they determine the ocean circulation patterns on a planet they can only “see” by inference?

[IndispensableDestiny]

OK I’ll bite. How do they determine the ocean circulation patterns on a planet they can only “see” by inference?

By reading articles before commenting on them.

[Rockingham]

With a thin basis so far in observed facts, astrophysicists use models to project the conditions on exoplanets. The field is in its infancy, with the practical effect of the models limited mostly to guidance for further research and for NASA's spending on technology and future mission priorities.

Telescopes and sensors will eventually develop so that they can reveal the conditions on distant planets through analysis of their reflectance. The green color spectra of chlorophyll would indicate one form of life, while a mix of industrial chemicals in the atmosphere would show a civilization.