English

Optimal Target Stars in the Search for Life

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics 2018-04-24 v2

Abstract

The selection of optimal targets in the search for life represents a highly important strategic issue. In this Letter, we evaluate the benefits of searching for life around a potentially habitable planet orbiting a star of arbitrary mass relative to a similar planet around a Sun-like star. If recent physical arguments implying that the habitability of planets orbiting low-mass stars is selectively suppressed are correct, we find that planets around solar-type stars may represent the optimal targets.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1803.07570,
  title  = {Optimal Target Stars in the Search for Life},
  author = {Manasvi Lingam and Abraham Loeb},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1803.07570},
  year   = {2018}
}

Comments

Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters; 6 pages, 3 figures