Scientists have allowed the existence of life on planets without changing the day
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- Scientists have allowed the existence of life on planets without changing the day
Internal heat flows on exoplanets, one side of which is constantly facing the star, can create separate areas with moderate temperatures. This is the conclusion reached by experts from the University of Pennsylvania, the Japan Agency for Marine and Terrestrial Sciences and Technology, and Hokkaido University. This was reported on July 9 by the Science Daily portal.
Scientists have studied the processes that can occur inside the rocky exoplanet LHS 3844b. It is located about 48.5 light-years from the Solar system and is slightly larger than Earth in size. The planet is in tidal capture: the time of its rotation around its own axis coincides with the duration of the revolution around the parent star. Therefore, one side of the LHS 3844b is constantly illuminated and highly heated, while the other remains in perpetual darkness.
The temperature on the daytime side of such planets can reach 1-2 thousand. K, whereas the night side is able to cool down to almost absolute zero. However, the researchers suggested that it is not enough to estimate the probability of the existence of life only by superficial indicators.
"If we look only at the extreme temperatures of the day and night sides, we can decide that such exoplanets are too harsh for life. But life can find a way to exist," said Daisuke Noto, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania.
To study the movement of heat, scientists have created a physical model of the planet's internal structure. Instead of a real exoplanet, which, as Noto joked, "didn't fit into the budget," they used a rectangular tank with viscous glycerin and thermochromic liquid crystals. Four thermostats reproduced the temperature difference between the day, night, surface and deep regions of the planet.
The experiment revealed a stable circulation. The heated substance rose under the day side, moved to the night side, cooled and sank, after which it returned through the lower layers of the mantle. Thus, a single continuous stream was formed.
"This is not a chaotic process like in the Earth's mantle. It's slow, steady, and predictable. Boring in a way, but in a good way," explained Noto.
Such circulation can support local geothermal areas with relatively temperate conditions, especially in the mid-latitudes. In addition, the movement of matter in the mantle can potentially affect the liquid core and the formation of the planet's magnetic field. The scientists intend to test the latter hypothesis in further research.
On June 30, Science X announced the discovery of an exoplanet that could potentially be habitable. The object GJ 3378b is located 35 light-years from Earth in the constellation Giraffe and is located in the "habitable zone", where temperature conditions allow water to be in a liquid state.
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