2014/07/01 by Siegfried Eggl, Nikolaos Georgakarakos, Elke Pilat-Lohinger
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Binary star #Circumstellar habitable zone #Exoplanet #Habitability #Habitability of orange dwarf systems #Orbital mechanics #Planet #Planetary habitability #Planetary system #Solar System #Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph.EP
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s1743921314007820
accepted for publication
openalex publication_date 2014/07/01 · arxiv created 2014/12/02 · arxiv updated 2015/07/15 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract Determining planetary habitability is a complex matter, as the interplay between a planet's physical and atmospheric properties with stellar insolation has to be studied in a self consistent manner. Standardized atmospheric models for Earth-like planets exist and are commonly accepted as a reference for estimates of Habitable Zones. In order to define Habitable Zone boundaries, circular orbital configurations around main sequence stars are generally assumed. In gravitationally interacting multibody systems, such as double stars, however, planetary orbits are forcibly becoming non circular with time. Especially in binary star systems even relatively small changes in a planet's orbit can have a large impact on habitability. Hence, we argue that a minimum model for calculating Habitable Zones in binary star systems has to include dynamical interactions.