Discovered a new potentially habitable world
Source:K2 Exoplanet-18b located at a distance of 124 light years from Earth, was discovered in 2015 in the constellation of Leo, orbiting the red dwarf star K2-18. After analyzing the atmosphere of a detected object, scientists have found traces of the presence on the planet large amounts of water vapor, says the portal . When you consider that water — is the basis of life, what are the chances of mankind to finally find those long-awaited brothers in mind?
Can life occur on super-earths?
Planet K2-18b — quite an interesting subject for study. Revolving in the habitable zone of its star, the exoplanet is approximately 2.6 times as wide and 8.6 times more massive than our home planet. Similar dimensions put the detected object between the Earth and Neptune, classifying the planet as super-earths. But can any life to arise is so different from the blue planet place?
Despite the fact that in the Solar system do not exist , scientists give quite optimistic forecasts about the possible climatic conditions on K2-18b. So, apparently, discovered in space relative proximity to Earth, has a delicate, welcoming atmosphere and large water supplies, so necessary for the survival of all known living organisms.
To find out how the above theory is true, researchers from Cambridge University analyzed data on the composition of the atmosphere of exoplanets. During the simulation, it was found that the outer shell K2-18b are rich in hydrogen and contains large amounts of water vapor. In addition, it was found that the atmosphere contains also methane and ammonia, but in much smaller numbers than previously assumed.
the size of the Earth and exoplanets K2-18b
Although most found to date supertall represent gas mini-Neptune without the presence of any solid surface features show that it is a kind of exception to this rule. So important for the development of life, the levels of hydrogen suggests that their share does not exceed 6 percent of the total mass of the planet that may be pretty good news for local organics, if any, of course, there there.
Due to the fact that currently available to the Terran equipment does not allow the detailed observation of extremely distant from Earth objects, the only technique that allows us at least to imagine found exoplanet is the so-called transit method. The essence of the method lies in the fact that the planet is passing by your lights, a few dim glow of the stars of the host, thereby giving their presence in orbit. As you can guess, the use of this method can hardly tell us about the characteristics of the discovered world. However, even in this case, the researchers were able to find a way out: by studying the spectrum of the upper atmosphere of the exoplanet during transit, we can find the chemical elements present in the air shell remote for many tens, hundreds or even thousands of light years away object. The application of this methodology allowed to find out and approximate composition of the next “twin Earth”. So, most of the scenarios developed in the course of the study depict K2-18b as a totally water world, with a rather pleasant barometric pressure and temperature.
planet K2-18b may be fully aquatic world
Matthew Nixon, one of the study's authors, says that the discovery of super-earths with similar characteristics can be of great help in the search for potentially habitable objects. So, if super-earths are usually previously were not considered as places where it can occur and evolve life, then the world is K2-18b can refute this rule. If the results of further studies will prove the veracity of such a bold theory, it is quite common in the Universe of rocky super-earths could be among the most preferred candidates for habitability, and discovered in the constellation of Leo, the planet is in danger of becoming one of the objects of attention by the terrestrial astronomers.
K2 Exoplanet-18b in the view of the artist
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