The tilt of the planet affects the habitability of the planet.
REPUBLIC.CO.ID, CALIFORNIA — A new search indicates a shift in orbit planet Jupiter could make the earth’s surface more hospitable to life. Scientists at the University of California-Riverside (UCR) have simulated an alternative arrangement of the solar system. He found that when Jupiter orbit flatter or “eccentric”, it would also cause major changes in our planet’s orbit.
Changes caused by Jupiter’s orbit could better affect Earth’s ability to support life. Jupiter is the most massive planet in the solar system.
“If Jupiter’s position remains the same, but the shape of its orbit changes, it could actually increase the planet’s habitability,” said Pam Vervoort, study lead and Earth and planetary scientist at UCR.
“Many believe that Earth is the epitome of a habitable planet. Any changes to the orbit of Jupiter, as a huge planet, will be detrimental to Earth. We prove both assumptions wrong.”
Planets with more circular orbits maintain a constant distance from their star. Meanwhile, more eccentric, oval-shaped orbits bring planets towards and away from their star at different points in the orbit. Proximity to the star determines how much radiation it receives, which means it affects the planet’s climate.
The orbit will affect the inclination of the planet
If Jupiter’s orbit becomes more eccentric, the team has found out Earth’s orbit he will be driven to be even more eccentric. This means that at times the Earth will be closer to the sun than it already is.
As a result, some of the coldest parts of our planet will warm to temperatures within the habitable range (defined as 0 to 100 degrees Celsius) for various life forms on Earth. The team thinks their findings could help astronomers determine which planets outside the solar system might be habitable.
Currently, the search for habitability depends on whether a planet is within the habitable zone of its star. The criterion is that the area around the star is at the right temperature to allow liquid water to exist. However, new search results may introduce new search parameters.
“The first thing people look for in exoplanet searches is the habitable zone, the distance between a star and a planet to see if there’s enough energy for liquid water on a planet’s surface,” said the astrophysicist of UCR Stephen Kane. Space.
“Having water on the surface is a very simple first metric and it doesn’t take into account the shape of the planet’s orbit or any seasonal variations the planet might experience.”
Other factors can affect a planet’s habitability. The team also tested several of these, including that the planet’s tilt affects how much radiation it receives from its star.
UCR scientists have discovered that if Jupiter were much closer to the sun than its current distance of about 742 million kilometers, it could cause an extreme tilt on Earth. This will result in our planet receiving less sunlight. This means that large surface areas of our planet will experience temperatures well below freezing.
This new research shows that observing the orbits and motions of nearby gas giants can help infer important factors in predicting planetary habitability.
