סמינר בחוג למדעי כדור הארץ: The Potential of Planets Orbiting Red Dwarf Stars to Support Oxygenic Photosynthesis and hence Complex Life

Abstract:

In the last decade many planets have been discovered orbiting Red Dwarf Stars (RDS), the most numerous of the Sun’s neighbors. Initial considerations suggested that conditions on these planets would be inimical for life. These included the proximity of planets within “habitable zones” to their stars, leading to tidal locking; occasional severe radiation flares; EMR radiation from the RDS of wavelength longer than that required for photosynthesis, etc. It will be argued that none of the above would deny the possibility of life and in particular Oxygenic Photosynthesis (OP) – a first requirement for the evolution of complex life (always with the caveat “life as known on Earth”).

It is concluded that the existence of life and OP is both possible and highly likely. The latter is a consequence of the huge number of RDS planets. Even so, the evolutionary distances between simple life, OP, complex life and finally intelligence, are very great. Moreover, for now and the foreseeable future, it seems that our science and technology will be unable to make close up studies of these planets and even to carry out two way communication with any civilization detected. This is a result of the vast physical distances, even to the nearest RDS planet (~3ly). However, in recent history, humans have overcome many seemingly insurmountable hurdles. Maybe we shall do so again.

מארגנת הסמינר: ד"ר רוית חלד