Oceans May be Vital for Supporting Alien Life on Other Planets

First Posted: Jul 21, 2014 07:51 AM EDT
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Earth can't be the only planet to host life in our universe; there are simply too many planets and galaxies for there not to be life somewhere. Yet actually finding life on another planet is difficult, which is why identifying what features would most likely help sustain life is crucial for helping researchers spot out which planets are worth further investigation. Now, scientists have found that oceans may actually be vital for supporting alien life.

"The number of planets being discovered outside our solar system is rapidly increasing," said David Stevens, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This research will help answer whether or not these planets could sustain alien life."

Until now, computer simulations of habitable climates on Earth-like planets have focused on their atmospheres. Yet researchers have now found that the presence of oceans may be just as vital as the atmosphere.

"We know that many planets are completely uninhabitable because they are either too close or too far away from their sun. A planet's habitable zone is based on its distance from the sun and temperatures at which it is possible for the planet to have liquid water," said Stevens. "Oceans have an immense capacity to control climate. They are beneficial because they cause the surface temperature to respond very slowly to seasonal changes in solar heating. And they help ensure that temperature swings across a planet are kept to tolerable levels."

In this case, the researchers created a computer model that simulated pattern of ocean circulation on a hypothetical ocean-covered Earth-like planet. Then, the scientists looked at how different planetary rotation rates would impact heat transport with the presence of oceans taken into account. They found that the oceans acted as a good way to mediate climate and make the hypothetical planet more likely to have life.

"This new model will help us to understand what the climates of other planets might be like with more accurate detail than ever before," said Stevens.

The findings are published in the journal Astrobiology.

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