Astronomers Rene Heller (De Heller) from the Institute of astrophysics of Leibniz in Potsdam (Germany) and Rory Barnes (Rory Barnes), representing the University of Washington (USA), conducted a comprehensive study of all factors habitability aktolun - large satellites of the giant planets of other planetary systems.

If azoluna earthly dimensions removed from the companion giant ten of his radii and more, it can be in such an orbit is very long and without adverse consequences. (Illustration De Heller.)

It turned out that previous analyses of this kind missed reflectivity of giant planets, and that their large linear sizes of high albedo leads to considerable growth of the amount of energy received by akselini. Those parts of it that at the same time highlights the body of the size of Jupiter (which reflects the third incident light) and the star can get a "Supplement" to the energy balance at 30%.

According to the authors, azoluna size should be close to the Earth to maintain the atmosphere and magnetic field that can stop cosmic radiation, as well as the radiation from the planet of the giant. However, the thesis about the atmosphere is somewhat at odds with the fact of existence of Titanium with atmosphere is four times denser than earth when sevenfold lesser gravity. Was not considered and the question as to what extent the magnetosphere of the planet-giants able to protect aktolun from radiation.

Still, the astronomers believe that the high demands on weight for potentially inhabited aktolun not a problem. According to their calculations, the giants other systems may have satellites the size of the Earth, and often. Scientists describe the possible mechanism of gravitational capture gas giant planets of earth type and consider the likely formation of a stable long-term orbit of such a "former planets around giant companion. Interestingly, the possibility of such capture optimistically evaluated as quite significant.

Finally, it is noted that, according to the accumulated statistics on planets-giants, the total number of aktolun the earth's dimensions can be quite significant and comparable to the population of the earth-known exoplanets.

Recall that, according to another study, by 2018 new space-based telescopes, will allow us to directly detect akselini.

The research report will soon appear in the journal Astrobiology, and with its Preprint available here.

Based on the materials ScienceNews.