Prospects for the habitability of OGLE-2006-BLG-109L

Renu Malhotra, David A. Minton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The extrasolar system OGLE-2006-BLG-109L is the first multiple-planet system to be discovered by gravitational microlensing (reported by Gaudi et al. in 2008); the two large planets that have been detected have mass ratios, semimajor axis ratios, and equilibrium temperatures that are similar to those of Jupiter and Saturn; the mass of the host star is only 0.5 M⊙, and the system is more compact than our own solar system. We find that in the habitable zone of the host star, the two detected planets resonantly excite large orbital eccentricities on a putative Earth-mass planet, driving such a planet out of the habitable zone. We show that an additional inner planet of ≥0.3 M⊙ at ≤0.1 AU would suppress the eccentricity perturbation and greatly improve the prospects for habitability of the system. Thus, the planetary architecture of a potentially habitable OGLE-2006-BLG-109L planetary system-with two "terrestrial" planets and two Jovian planets-could bear very close resemblance to our own solar system.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)L67-L70
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume683
Issue number1 PART 2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008

Keywords

  • Planetary systems
  • Subject headings: astrobiology

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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