201. Implications of Tides for Life on Exoplanets
- Author
-
Abraham Loeb and Manasvi Lingam
- Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Extraterrestrial Environment ,Oceans and Seas ,FOS: Physical sciences ,Planets ,Tidal Waves ,01 natural sciences ,Astrobiology ,Life ,Abiogenesis ,Planet ,0103 physical sciences ,Tidal force ,Exobiology ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP) ,Planetary system ,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Exoplanet ,Space and Planetary Science ,Environmental science ,Upwelling ,Circumstellar habitable zone ,Evolution, Planetary ,Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics - Abstract
As evident from the nearby examples of Proxima Centauri and TRAPPIST-1, Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone of low-mass stars are common. Here, we focus on such planetary systems and argue that their (oceanic) tides could be more prominent due to stronger tidal forces. We identify the conditions under which tides may exert a significant positive influence on biotic processes including abiogenesis, biological rhythms, nutrient upwelling and stimulating photosynthesis. We conclude our analysis with the identification of large-scale algal blooms as potential temporal biosignatures in reflectance light curves that can arise indirectly as a consequence of strong tidal forces., Comment: Published in Astrobiology; 32 pages
- Published
- 2018