New look at the habitability of planets around red dwarfs

Scientists from the University of Bordeaux and the University of Geneva have brought a new perspective to the study of exoplanets that orbit red dwarfs.

It is known that most of these planets, as well as planets orbiting other stars, do not have the conditions necessary for the emergence and development of life. However, a new study sheds light on the possibility of life on some of these exoplanets, as reported by Nature.

The conventional theory holds that planets near red dwarfs were too hot to support life. The explanation lies in the fact that in the early years of the existence of these stars, they were hot and emitted a large amount of heat.

The water released from the rocks evaporated into the atmosphere and was lost in space. This deprived some exoplanets of the necessary liquid water for life.

However, scientists offer a new point of view. In their study, they claim that some exoplanets may have retained water in their crust.

There is a possibility that the internal water reservoirs could have been expelled as a result of volcanic activity and entered the planet’s atmosphere. After that, as the planet cooled, the water condensed and formed the oceans.

An important consideration here is that previous models did not take into account the thermal radiation that dissipates into space and has a cooling effect on the planet. The inclusion of this factor in the exoplanet evolution model allows for a shorter period during which the planet remains hot enough, thus increasing the likelihood of liquid water persisting on its surface.

Scientists hope that their study will aid in the search for potential sites for the origin of life in the universe.