Other
Scientific paper
Dec 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agufmsa42a..10a&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, abstract #SA42A-10
Other
0310 Airglow And Aurora, 2407 Auroral Ionosphere (2704), 2459 Planetary Ionospheres (5435, 5729, 6026, 6027, 6028)
Scientific paper
One of the most prominent emissions from the aurora is the greenish-white light from oxygen atoms, while the Jovian aurora contains atomic hydrogen emissions. The oxygen emission, the so-called "green line" (557.7 nm), of the terrestrial aurora, arises mostly from the fact that plants release abundant free oxygen into the atmosphere by the photosynthesis process. Thus, the green line shows that plant life exists on Earth. It was recently reported that Upsilon Andromedae, has three planets. This star is a solar-type star. This discovery and many others in recent years are significant because they show the planetary system, like the solar system, is not quite unique. It is expected that a number of stars are accompanied by several planets, and it may not be too long before the aurora on such planets can be discovered. One possible way to detect plant life on such planets is to examine their auroral emissions. If the strong line emission at 557.7 nm and other UV/EUV emissions from oxygen can be detected among other emissions in the planetary aurora, the possibility of the presence of plant life is high. Further, if plant life exists, animal life, whether lower or higher, can also exist there. The Earth-like auroral processes leading to the oxygen emissions require, in addition to plant life, both stellar wind and planetary magnetism. It is highly probable that solar-type stars have stellar wind. If such a planet does not have a strong dipole-like magnetic field, the stellar wind can cause atmospheric glow in which the oxygen emissions may be present. In any case, if the oxygen emissions are detected in the planetary auroral spectra, the possibility of plant life there is high. The dissociation of CO2 can also release oxygen. However, if the condition of the planets is similar to that of the Earth, its contribution is very small. It is expected that auroral science will evolve in a variety of ways in the future. It is suggested that the subject dealt with here is such an example. It is hoped that auroral science could contribute to search for extra-terrestrial life, one of the ultimate human endeavors.
Akasofu Syun
Frey Harald U.
Lummerzheim Dirk
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