Astronomy & Telescopes

Effects of Proxima Centauri on Planet Formation in Alpha Centauri

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
astro-ph.EP
July 14, 2016
Filed under
Effects of Proxima Centauri on Planet Formation in Alpha Centauri
Planet formation scenarios

Proxima Centauri is an M dwarf approximately 15,000 AU from the Alpha Centauri binary, comoving and likely in a loosely bound orbit.

Dynamic simulations show this configuration can form from a more tightly bound triple system. As our nearest neighbors, these stars command great interest as potential planet hosts, and the dynamics of the stars govern the formation of any planets within the system. Here we present a scenario for the evolution of Alpha Centauri A and B and Proxima Centauri as a triple system. Based on N-body simulations, we determine this pathway to formation is plausible, and we quantify the implications for planet formation in the Alpha Centauri binary.

We expect this formation scenario may have truncated the circumstellar disk slightly more than a system that formed in the current configuration, but that it most likely does not prevent terrestrial planet formation. We simulate planet formation in this system and find that in most scenarios, two or more terrestrial planets can be expected around either Alpha Centauri A or B, orbiting in a region out to approximately 2 AU. Additionally, terrestrial planet formation and stability in Proxima Centauri’s habitable zone is also plausible. However, an absence of planets around these stars may be indicative of highly disruptive stellar dynamics in the past.

R. Worth, S. Sigurdsson
(Submitted on 11 Jul 2016)

Subjects: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP)
Cite as: arXiv:1607.03090 [astro-ph.EP] (or arXiv:1607.03090v1 [astro-ph.EP] for this version)
Submission history
From: R. Worth
[v1] Mon, 11 Jul 2016 19:48:04 GMT (560kb,D)
http://arxiv.org/abs/1607.03090

Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Station Payload manager/space biologist, Away Teams, Journalist, Lapsed climber, Synaesthete, Na’Vi-Jedi-Freman-Buddhist-mix, ASL, Devon Island and Everest Base Camp veteran, (he/him) 🖖🏻