scholarly journals Accounting for multiplicity in calculating eta Earth

2019 ◽  
Vol 487 (1) ◽  
pp. 246-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon K Zink ◽  
Bradley M S Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Population Model ◽  
Multiplicity Distribution ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Population Parameters ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Habitable Planet ◽  
Η Value ◽  
Gaia Dr2

ABSTRACT Using the updated exoplanet population parameters of our previous study, which includes the planetary radius updates from Gaia DR2 and an inferred multiplicity distribution, we provide a revised η⊕ calculation. This is achieved by sampling planets from our derived population model and determining which planets meet our criterion for habitability. To ensure robust results, we provide probabilities calculated over a range of upper radius limits. Our most optimistic criterion for habitability provides an η⊕ value of $0.34\pm 0.02 \frac{\rm planets}{\rm star}$. We also consider the effects of multiplicity and the number of habitable planets each system may contain. Our calculation indicates that $6.4\pm 0.5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of GK dwarfs have more than one planet within their habitable zone. This optimistic habitability criterion also suggests that $0.036\pm 0.009{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of solar-like stars will harbour five or more habitable planets. These tightly packed highly habitable systems should be extremely rare, but still possible. Even with our most pessimistic criterion, we still expect that $1.8\pm 0.2{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of solar-like stars harbour more than one habitable planet.

scholarly journals Earth-size planet formation in the habitable zone of circumbinary stars

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (1) ◽  
pp. 1045-1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
G O Barbosa ◽  
O C Winter ◽  
A Amarante ◽  
A Izidoro ◽  
R C Domingos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Planet Formation ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Density Profiles ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Habitable Zones ◽  
Test Particles ◽  
The Stability

ABSTRACT This work investigates the possibility of close binary (CB) star systems having Earth-size planets within their habitable zones (HZs). First, we selected all known CB systems with confirmed planets (totaling 22 systems) to calculate the boundaries of their respective HZs. However, only eight systems had all the data necessary for the computation of HZ. Then, we numerically explored the stability within HZs for each one of the eight systems using test particles. From the results, we selected five systems that have stable regions inside HZs, namely Kepler-34,35,38,413, and 453. For these five cases of systems with stable regions in HZ, we perform a series of numerical simulations for planet formation considering discs composed of planetary embryos and planetesimals, with two distinct density profiles, in addition to the stars and host planets of each system. We found that in the case of the Kepler-34 and 453 systems, no Earth-size planet is formed within HZs. Although planets with Earth-like masses were formed in Kepler-453, they were outside HZ. In contrast, for the Kepler-35 and 38 systems, the results showed that potentially habitable planets are formed in all simulations. In the case of the Kepler-413system, in just one simulation, a terrestrial planet was formed within HZ.

Longevity of moons around habitable planets

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Sasaki ◽  
Jason W. Barnes
Keyword(s):  
Orbital Period ◽  
Extrasolar Planets ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Evolution Theory ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Tidal Dissipation ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Rocky Planets

AbstractWe consider tidal decay lifetimes for moons orbiting habitable extrasolar planets using the constant Q approach for tidal evolution theory. Large moons stabilize planetary obliquity in some cases, and it has been suggested that large moons are necessary for the evolution of complex life. We find that the Moon in the Sun–Earth system must have had an initial orbital period of not slower than 20 h rev−1 for the moon's lifetime to exceed a 5 Gyr lifetime. We assume that 5 Gyr is long enough for life on planets to evolve complex life. We show that moons of habitable planets cannot survive for more than 5 Gyr if the stellar mass is less than 0.55 and 0.42 M⊙ for Qp=10 and 100, respectively, where Qp is the planetary tidal dissipation quality factor. Kepler-62e and f are of particular interest because they are two actually known rocky planets in the habitable zone. Kepler-62e would need to be made of iron and have Qp=100 for its hypothetical moon to live for longer than 5 Gyr. A hypothetical moon of Kepler-62f, by contrast, may have a lifetime greater than 5 Gyr under several scenarios, and particularly for Qp=100.

scholarly journals A More Comprehensive Habitable Zone for Finding Life on Other Planets

Geosciences ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramses Ramirez
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gases ◽  
Main Sequence ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Circular Region ◽  
Main Sequence Stars ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Host Life ◽  
Navigational Tool ◽  
Bodies Of Water

The habitable zone (HZ) is the circular region around a star(s) where standing bodies of water could exist on the surface of a rocky planet. Space missions employ the HZ to select promising targets for follow-up habitability assessment. The classical HZ definition assumes that the most important greenhouse gases for habitable planets orbiting main-sequence stars are CO2 and H2O. Although the classical HZ is an effective navigational tool, recent HZ formulations demonstrate that it cannot thoroughly capture the diversity of habitable exoplanets. Here, I review the planetary and stellar processes considered in both classical and newer HZ formulations. Supplementing the classical HZ with additional considerations from these newer formulations improves our capability to filter out worlds that are unlikely to host life. Such improved HZ tools will be necessary for current and upcoming missions aiming to detect and characterize potentially habitable exoplanets.

scholarly journals Polarimetry as a tool to find and characterise habitable planets orbiting white dwarfs

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (S305) ◽  
pp. 325-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Fossati ◽  
Stefano Bagnulo ◽  
Carole A. Haswell ◽  
Manish R. Patel ◽  
Richard Busuttil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Dose ◽  
Uv Radiation ◽  
Uv Irradiation ◽  
White Dwarf ◽  
White Dwarfs ◽  
Terrestrial Planet ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Earth Like Planets ◽  
M Dwarf

AbstractThere are several ways planets can survive the giant phase of the host star, hence one can consider the case of Earth-like planets orbiting white dwarfs. As a white dwarf cools from 6000 K to 4000 K, a planet orbiting at 0.01 AU from the star would remain in the continuous habitable zone (CHZ) for about 8 Gyr. Polarisation due to a terrestrial planet in the CHZ of a cool white dwarf (CWD) is 102 (104) times larger than it would be in the habitable zone of a typical M-dwarf (Sun-like star). Polarimetry is thus a powerful tool to detect close-in planets around white dwarfs. Multi-band polarimetry would also allow one to reveal the presence of a planet atmosphere, even providing a first characterisation. With current facilities a super-Earth-sized atmosphereless planet is detectable with polarimetry around the brightest known CWD. Planned future facilities render smaller planets detectable, in particular by increasing the instrumental sensitivity in the blue. Preliminary habitability study show also that photosynthetic processes can be sustained on Earth-like planets orbiting CWDs and that the DNA-weighted UV radiation dose for an Earth-like planet in the CHZ is less than the maxima encountered on Earth, hence white dwarfs are compatible with the persistence of complex life from the perspective of UV irradiation.

scholarly journals Formation of Habitable Planets in Inclined Planetary Systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S293) ◽  
pp. 238-240
Author(s):  
Jianghui Ji ◽  
Sheng Jin
Keyword(s):  
Late Stage ◽  
Planetary Systems ◽  
Numerical Results ◽  
The Other ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Planetary Formation ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Final Assembly ◽  
Inner Region

AbstractWe extensively investigate the terrestrial planetary formation for the inclined planetary systems (considering the OGLE-2006-BLG-109L system as example) in the late stage. In the simulations, we show that the occurrence of terrestrial planets appears to be common in the final assembly stage. Moreover, we find that a lot of runs finally occupy at least one planet in the habitable zone (HZ). On the other hand, the numerical results also indicate that the inner region of the planetesimal disk, ranging from ~ 0.1 to 0.3 AU, plays an important role in building up terrestrial planets. The outcomes suggest that it may exist moderate possibility for the inclined systems to harbor terrestrial planets in the HZ.

Modelling the atmosphere of potential habitable planets

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (S345) ◽  
pp. 172-175
Author(s):  
Nicolas Iro
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Transfer ◽  
One Dimension ◽  
Radiative Transfer Model ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Habitable Planets

AbstractThe list of planets discovered in the habitable zone of its star is continuously growing. We present a simple one-dimension radiative transfer model in order to better infer on the habitability of such systems. Particular focus is on the TRAPPIST-1 planets (Gillon et al.2017), particularly on planets b, c, d, e and f.

Formation, Frequency and Spacing of Habitable Planets

1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 289-297
Author(s):  
Jack J. Lissauer
Keyword(s):  
Planet Formation ◽  
Orbital Stability ◽  
Young Stars ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Terrestrial Planets ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Habitable Zones ◽  
Planetary Orbits ◽  
Rocky Planets

AbstractModels of planet formation and of the orbital stability of planetary systems are described and used to discuss estimates of the abundance of habitable planets which may orbit stars within our galaxy. Modern theories of star and planet formation, which are based upon observations of the Solar System and of young stars and their environments, predict that most single stars should have rocky planets in orbit about them. Terrestrial planets are believed to grow via pairwise accretion until the spacing of planetary orbits becomes large enough that the configuration is stable for the age of the system. Giant planets orbiting within or near the habitable zone could either prevent terrestrial planets from forming, destroy such planets or remove them from habitable zones. The implications of the giant planets found in recent radial velocity searches for the abundances of habitable planets are discussed.

Pollination of exoplanets by nebulae

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.M. Napier
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Molecular Cloud ◽  
Oort Cloud ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Micro Organisms

AbstractThe Solar System passes within 5 pc of star-forming nebulae every ∼50–100 million years, a distance which can be bridged by protected micro-organisms ejected from the Earth by impacts. Such encounters disturb the Oort cloud, and induce episodes of bombardment of the Earth and the ejection of microbiota from its surface. Star-forming regions within the nebulae encountered may thus be seeded by significant numbers of microorganisms. Propagation of life throughout the Galactic habitable zone ‘goes critical’ provided that, in a typical molecular cloud, there are at least 1.1 habitable planets with impact environments similar to that of the Earth. Dissemination of microbiota proceeds most rapidly through the molecular ring of the Galaxy.

scholarly journals What is Heat; The Photon is Heat

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 6018-6038
Author(s):  
Bhekuzulu Khumalo
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Radiation ◽  
Blue Light ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Proper Understanding ◽  
Habitable Planets ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Quantity Of Heat ◽  
Gamma Particle

All photons will burn you. How do we describe photons as having different amounts of energy? This paper illustrates photons do not have different amounts of energies, rather different types of energy. The experiment of 1800 provides enough data to be analyzed because it has that third point to question the idea that photons carry different amounts of energy. This paper argues that all photons have equal amounts of energy just different types of energy. The composition of the energy within a photon depends on the frequency of a photon, a lower frequency photon like those represented by infrared can boil water faster than higher frequency blue light. A higher frequency photon like a gamma particle is stopped by lead. Given the nature that heat is from photons we can start thinking of sophisticated thermometers that give us the quality of heat not just the quantity of heat. It is the atmosphere that gives more evidence around the nature of photons, we can understand the cycle of the photon/ photonic cycle/ electromagnetic cycle, allowing us to ponder on deep philosophical meanings, intelligent life is there for universe to sustain itself, as well as ask the question why we are not burning given the nature of low frequency electromagnetic radiation. And for those vigorously looking for habitable planets out there, the idea of the circumstellar habitable zone must change to accommodate the proper understanding of heat.

scholarly journals Interior structures and tidal heating in the TRAPPIST-1 planets

2018 ◽  
Vol 613 ◽  
pp. A37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy C. Barr ◽  
Vera Dobos ◽  
László L. Kiss
Keyword(s):  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Uniform Density ◽  
Generation Model ◽  
Habitable Zone ◽  
Habitable Planet ◽  
Error Bars ◽  
Magma Oceans ◽  
Tidal Heating ◽  
M Dwarf ◽  
Rule Out

Context. With seven planets, the TRAPPIST-1 system has among the largest number of exoplanets discovered in a single system so far. The system is of astrobiological interest, because three of its planets orbit in the habitable zone of the ultracool M dwarf. Aims. We aim to determine interior structures for each planet and estimate the temperatures of their rock mantles due to a balance between tidal heating and convective heat transport to assess their habitability. We also aim to determine the precision in mass and radius necessary to determine the planets’ compositions. Methods. Assuming the planets are composed of uniform-density noncompressible materials (iron, rock, H2O), we determine possible compositional models and interior structures for each planet. We also construct a tidal heat generation model using a single uniform viscosity and rigidity based on each planet’s composition. Results. The compositions for planets b, c, d, and e remain uncertain given the error bars on mass and radius. With the exception of TRAPPIST-1c, all have densities low enough to indicate the presence of significant H2O. Planets b and c experience enough heating from planetary tides to maintain magma oceans in their rock mantles; planet c may have surface eruptions of silicate magma, potentially detectable with next-generation instrumentation. Tidal heat fluxes on planets d, e, and f are twenty times higher than Earth’s mean heat flow. Conclusions. Planets d and e are the most likely to be habitable. Planet d avoids the runaway greenhouse state if its albedo is ≳0.3. Determining the planet’s masses within ~0.1–0.5 Earth masses would confirm or rule out the presence of H2O and/or iron. Understanding the geodynamics of ice-rich planets f, g, and h requires more sophisticated modeling that can self-consistently balance heat production and transport in both rock and ice layers.

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