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As scientists strive to discover life outside the solar system, traditional searches focus on relatively young stars, in contrast to recent studies that show more interest in old stars, as the chances of finding evidence of life in them appear to be much higher.
It was the first discovery of a planet outside the solar system.”51 pegasi“In 1995 by Swiss astronomers Didier Queloz and Michael Mayo, and since then until today more than 5,500 other planets have been discovered.
The secret of scientists shifting their search direction from young stars to older stars lies in the magnetic state of the star, which is believed to play a fundamental role in embracing the various complex patterns of life on satellite planets.
Stars rotate at high speeds as they are born and formed, producing powerful magnetic fields that unleash harmful radiation and charged particles onto their planetary systems.
Over billions of years, ancient stars gradually slow down in rotation due to what is known as magnetic braking, a theory that explains the loss of a star’s angular momentum due to its magnetic field. Naturally, the slowdown in the star’s rotation is accompanied by a weakening of the magnetic field.
In a research paper entitled “Weak magnetic braking of 51 Pegasi“In it, research leader Travis Metcalf points out that the study provides new concepts about how rotation speed and magnetic force change in old stars that are beyond their middle age. He also points out that magnetic braking over time in old stars leads to the confinement of stellar winds and reduces their damage to neighboring planets. Thus, we will witness greater opportunities for life to flourish.
In recent years, astronomers have used the TESS satellite to directly measure and study the magnetic fields of some stars, including the star 51 Pegasi. The study revealed a significant change in the behavior of magnetic braking that occurs in stars younger than the Sun, as at a specific stage in their development, these stars suffer from a tenfold weakening in the effectiveness of magnetic braking, and it appears that this weakness continues as the stars age to A point before magnetic braking regains its strength again.
The consequences of the search for extraterrestrial life tend to be that younger stars affect their planets with harmful radiation and charged particles, while older stars may provide a more stable environment.
Accordingly, these conclusions indicate that stars that are middle-aged or older may be the best targets in the search for life outside our solar system in the future.
