Astrophysicists talked about the formation of planets around binary stars

Astrophysicists at the University of Central Lancashire have found that planets around binary stars form more often and in greater numbers than scientists previously thought. This was reported in the magazine on April 27. Phys.org .

"Conditions near a binary star are too harsh for planets to form. But at a greater distance, the disk turns into an ideal environment for their formation," explained Dr. Matthew Tisdale, who led the research as part of his doctoral thesis.

Using computer simulations, scientists have recreated the evolution of gas disks around young binary stars. It turned out that the inner regions of such disks form a "forbidden zone" where powerful gravitational effects prevent the formation of planets. However, at a greater distance, the disk breaks up into fragments under the influence of its own gravity, from which many young planets quickly arise.

The proportion of gas giants larger than Jupiter among them turned out to be higher than around single stars. Some planets may be ejected from the system and become wandering in interstellar space. The scientific director of the project, Dr. Dimitris Stamatellos, noted that binary stars have long been considered a hostile environment for planet formation, but new data show the opposite.

On March 30, the Science X news portal reported on the threat of exoplanet atmosphere loss in red dwarfs. According to scientists, their primary atmospheres consist of hydrogen and helium, which makes them more vulnerable because lighter gases escape easier.