English

Risks for Life on Proxima b from Sterilizing Impacts

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics 2020-10-30 v3

Abstract

We consider the implications that a debris belt located between Proxima b and Proxima c would pose for the rate of large asteroid impacts that could sterilize Proxima b from life. Future observations by ALMA or JWST could constrain the existence of an asteroid belt in the life-threatening regime. We generalize our rate calculation of sterilizing impacts for habitable planets in systems with an asteroid belt and an outer planet.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2006.12503,
  title  = {Risks for Life on Proxima b from Sterilizing Impacts},
  author = {Amir Siraj and Abraham Loeb},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2006.12503},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

5 pages, 5 figures; accepted to PSJ

R2 v1 2026-06-23T16:31:56.559Z