The newly discovered Earth-sized planet orbiting the Earth's nearest neighboring star as discovered by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in La Silla, Chile that is might not be habitable after all.
Back in April last year, NASA congratulated ESO for having discovered the planet called Proxima b, orbiting the "habitable zone" Proxima Centauri, a star nearest to our sun. The "habitable zone," according to scientists is a region where liquid water can exist, according to NASA.
However, a new study suggests that Proxima b may not be a viable candidate to host life, as we know it. According to the latest studies, immensely powerful solar flares from the planets' parent star, likely stripped some of the key building blocks that support life in the Earth-sized planet long ago.
Proxima b revolves around a small red dwarf, the most common star in the Milky Way, though they are cooler than our own yellow sun, they tend to be more active, blasting out solar flares more frequently, most especially if the star is young.
Considering this, the scientists develop a new model of the star's habitable zones. Classic definition said that planets with a red dwarf for a sun must fall between 10 to 20 times closer than that of our Earth in relation to our sun.
According to the study's lead author, Vladimir Airapetian, a solar scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said that red dwarf stars generate X-rays coupled with extreme ultraviolet emissions at the habitable zones of exoplanets through frequent flares and stellar storms.
This presents a problem in the habitability perspective, according to Space.com. The scientists conclude that Unless Proxima b has a strong magnetic field; solar flares will blast away much of the planet's atmosphere. Crucial elements needed to support life would be lost in space.
Accordingly, it would not matter if Proxima b were well within the habitable zone, the ejection of the planet's atmosphere due to the intense flares makes it impossible to make or retain water. Additionally, its star, Proxima Centauri, is a relatively young star, which would mean the planet is constantly bombarded with severe solar weather.
NASA concluded that Proxima b is losing atmosphere, if it has not lost it already, therefore making it unlikely that it can support life in any form.
