Habitability of Super-Earths: Gliese 581c and 581d

Details Habitability of Super-Earths: Gliese 581c and 581d Habitability of Super-Earths: Gliese 581c and 581d

2007-12-19

arxiv.org/abs/0712.3219v4

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

3 pages, 1 figure; submitted to: Exoplanets: Detection, Formation and Dynamics, IAU Symposium 249, eds. Y.-S. Sun, S. Ferraz-M

Scientific paper

10.1017/S1743921308017031

The unexpected diversity of exoplanets includes a growing number of super-Earth planets, i.e., exoplanets with masses smaller than 10 Earth masses. Unlike the larger exoplanets previously found, these smaller planets are more likely to have a similar chemical and mineralogical composition to the Earth. We present a thermal evolution model for super-Earth planets to identify the sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The photosynthesis-sustaining habitable zone (pHZ) is determined by the limits of biological productivity on the planetary surface. We apply our model to calculate the habitability of the two super-Earths in the Gliese 581 system. The super-Earth Gl 581c is clearly outside the pHZ, while Gl 581d is at the outer edge of the pHZ. Therefore it could at least harbor some primitive forms of life.

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