Jakarta –
The giant planets apparently tend to drive out their neighbors, the small planets. This was revealed in two scientific articles in the Astronomical journal.
In these two new studies, it can be seen that in some multiplanetary systems, giant planets tend to push their smaller neighbors out of their orbits and wreak havoc on their climates.
In one of two papers, University of California, Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane details how the pull of the giant planets in the HD 141399 system will likely push its Earth-like neighbor out of the habitable zone.
HD 141399 is an early K dwarf star located 121 light years away in the constellation Boötes. The star hosts four giant planets with masses ranging between 0.45 and 1.36 Jupiter masses.
Unlike most other known planetary systems, these four planets are located much farther from their parent stars.
“The HD 141399 system, which consists of four giant planets, is very rare among known exoplanet architecture,” said Professor Kane, quoted from Sci.News.
“According to NASA’s Exoplanet Archive, HD 141399 is one of (only) two planetary systems known to have at least four planets, all of which are more massive than Saturn,” he said.
“Another system is HR 8799, with four widely separated planets detected via direct imaging,” he continued.
According to Kane, the HD 141399 system is an extraordinary opportunity to study the formation, dynamics and evolution of unusual planetary architecture. Taking into account data about the planets in the system, Professor Kane carried out several computer simulations to understand the influence of these four giants. He wanted to specifically look at the habitable zone of this star system and see if Earth could remain in a stable orbit there.
“The answer is yes, but the chances are very small. There are only certain areas where the enormous gravitational pull will not knock a rocky planet out of its orbit and make it fly out of the zone,” said Professor Kane.
While the first research article suggests giant planets outside the habitable zone destroy the chances of life. In the second paper, written by Professor Kane and his colleague, Dr Tara Fetherolf from the University of California, Riverside, it is explained how a large planet in the middle of this zone would destroy life. has a similar effect.
The authors examined the Gliese 357 system (also known as GJ 357), located just 30 light years away in the constellation Hydra. The parent star hosts three exoplanets, namely Gliese 357b, c and with orbital periods of 4, 9 and 56 days.
Previous studies found that Gliese 357d is in the system’s habitable zone and is about 6 times the mass of Earth. However, the new study suggests the mass is likely much larger.
“It is possible that Gliese 357d has a mass of 10 Earth masses, which means it is probably not terrestrial, so there is no life on it. Or at least, it would not be able to host life as we know it,” said Professor Kane.
Professor Kane and Dr Fetherolf demonstrated that the planet is much larger than previously believed. Therefore, this will definitely prevent more Earth-like planets from existing in the habitable zone alongside it. While there are also certain locations in this system’s habitable zone that could potentially host Earth, its orbit would be highly elliptical around the star.
“In other words, their orbits would produce chaotic climates on these planets,” said Professor Kane.
“Our paper is really a warning, when we find planets in the habitable zone, don’t assume that the planet is automatically capable of hosting life,” he stressed.
This paper shows how rare it is to find the right conditions to host life elsewhere in the universe.
“Our work gives us more reasons to be grateful for the particular planetary configuration we have in the solar system,” said Professor Kane.
Watch the video “Scientists Say Humans Have Pushed Earth into the ‘Planetary Boundary’ Danger Zone”
(nah/pal)
2023-11-02 11:00:00
#Large #Planets #Tend #Kick #Small #Planets #Number #Multiplanet #Systems
