This formula will 'decode' the habitability of exoplanets
This formula will ‘decode’ the habitability of exoplanets
By Mike Wehner @MikeWehner
May 19th, 2020 at 11:12 PM
In the endless search for worlds beyond our solar system, astronomers have discovered planets of many types, sizes, and circumstances. From frozen rocky worlds to massive, steaming gas giants orbiting so close to their star it’s a wonder they even still exist, exoplanets can vary dramatically. For scientists searching for life outside of Earth, it makes the job incredibly difficult, but astronomers at Cornell University have built a model that they think can help.
It’s a climate “decoder” of sorts, that gleans information about a planet’s potential for habitability based on the light that can be detected coming off of it. Their work was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, and it could exoplanet researchers focus their attention on worlds that have the best chance of supporting life.
Most exoplanets that astronomers discover don’t hold the possibilities of life. We know that because planets that orbit outside of the habitable zone of their star are either too cold to support liquid water on their surface or too hot to prevent it from boiling off. Additionally, gas giant planets aren’t thought to be candidates for life, so it doesn’t matter if those are found in the habitable zone or not.
However, when scientists detect rocky worlds within the habitable zone, things get a lot more interesting. There’s a surprising amount of information that can be gathered about a planet even when it sits many light-years away.
More:
https://bgr.com/2020/05/19/exoplanet-habitability-astronomy-study/