New research challenges the long-held belief that white dwarfs are incapable of supporting life. Simulations suggest that planets orbiting these stellar remnants could have more habitable real estate than previously thought, due to their rapid rotation and unique atmospheric dynamics.
White dwarfs, the remnants of once-bright stars like our Sun, have long been considered inhospitable to life. These extremely dense stellar corpses no longer undergo nuclear fusion, radiating only leftover heat. Their small size and tumultuous formation process led astronomers to believe that habitable planets could not exist around them. However, new research published in The Astrophysical Journal challenges this assumption.
The study, led by Aomawa Shields, associate professor of physics and astronomy at UC Irvine, suggests that white dwarfs could potentially harbor life-supporting planets. The authors highlight that the James Webb Space Telescope's capabilities bring the possibility of detecting rocky planets within the habitable zones (HZs) of white dwarfs into focus.The research team conducted computer simulations of two Earth-like, aqua planets (ocean worlds) orbiting separate stars: a main sequence star named Kepler-62 and a hypothetical white dwarf. Both planets were tidally locked, had circular orbits, and shared Earth's mass, atmospheric composition, and surface pressure. While both stars had similar effective temperatures, the results revealed significant differences in the planets' climates. The white dwarf's habitable zone was much closer, resulting in a planet with a higher surface temperature and a significantly faster rotation period. This rapid rotation was crucial to the planet's habitability.The researchers used a 3D climate model to simulate the planets' atmospheres. The planet orbiting Kepler-62, with its longer orbital period, accumulated massive water vapor clouds on its dayside, leading to a cooler overall temperature and a reduction in habitable surface area. Conversely, the white dwarf planet's rapid rotation prevented the buildup of significant clouds, allowing it to retain more heat and expand its habitable zone. The constant atmospheric circulation also mitigated the runaway greenhouse effect
White Dwarfs Exoplanets Habitable Zones Climate Modeling James Webb Space Telescope
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