Moons orbiting wandering exoplanets could be habitable-with one catch
Phys.org • • science
Key Points:
- A new study led by David Dahlbüdding and Giulia Roccetti predicts that moons orbiting free-floating exoplanets with thick, hydrogen-dominated atmospheres could retain internal tidal heat, potentially supporting habitable conditions for billions of years after their planets are ejected from stellar systems.
- Hydrogen under high pressure can act as a potent greenhouse gas through collision-induced absorption, absorbing infrared radiation more effectively than isolated hydrogen molecules and rivaling gases like carbon dioxide and methane, thus warming these moons despite the absence of a nearby star.
- The researchers combined atmospheric temperature calculations, chemical composition feedback, and orbital evolution models to simulate how such exomoons could maintain stable, warm conditions, with some scenarios allowing liquid water to persist for up to 4
