Hot Jupiters May Indicate Hospitable Planets

eldavojohn writes "An interesting article from National Geographic points out that other solar systems which contain planets like a 'Hot Jupiter' have a higher chance of also containing Earth-like planets." From the article: "'We now think there is a new class of ocean-covered--and possibly habitable--planets in solar systems unlike our own,' Raymond said. The simulations also showed that rocky planets known as hot Earths may often form when hot Jupiters push material forward during their inward treks. But hot Earths, which can be up to five times bigger than our Earth, orbit closer to their stars and are not likely to support life. Even if water does contribute to their formation, most hot Earths probably end up dry, study co-author Raymond says. "

Comments

There's a perfectly good word for rocky worlds

[StefanJ]

Rather than the clunky, misleading, and overly broad use of "Earth like," I wish articles like this would use the perfectly good term "terrestrial."

Mercury, Venus, Mars and Earth are all terrestrials. Rocky worlds, as opposed to gas giants or icy bodies.

Re:There's a perfectly good word for rocky worlds

[morgan_greywolf]

"Terrestrial" is the Latin for "earthlike".

Not exactly. I think you're looking for terrestris, which means earthlike in Latin.

Re:Cool, confirms my hypothesis.

[DragonWriter]

Cats and dogs are sentient, as the term is generally used. The term has sometimes been borrowed in science fiction to denote human-like intellect, but given its well-established use, that's a poor borrowing (better is the more common "sapient" or, as a noun, "sophont"; the latter isn't a word in general use but has an appropriate etymology, the former is in general use, but in a way that supports the pseudo-technical extension of its meaning to this use better than "sentient".)

Re:Worst story title...EVAR!

[jemecki]

You misread the article. The quote was referring to a "Hot Earth" which is similar to what a "Hot Jupiter" is, except earth-sized (i.e., really really close to the sun -- closer than Mercury is in our solar system). The habitable planet would be further away, in the habitable zone. Check out the picture.

Re:Worst story title...EVAR!

[QuantumFTL]

The article also says:

"We now think there is a new class of ocean-covered--and possibly habitable--planets in solar systems unlike our own," Raymond said.

I think they may be talking about two different things (Hot Earths and Normal Earths).

Read the article first please

[LionMage]

At first it says that a Hot Jupiter would make a habitable planet, but then it says that the Hot Earths it makes will be uninhabitable.

If you read the article, it's a bit more clear than the summary apparently was for you.

The article is saying that as Hot Jupiters migrate inwards, they temporarily disrupt the belt of debris in the habitable zone of a forming solar system. Then, after the Hot Jupiter has passed through, that debris has a chance to coalesce into habitable, Earth-like planets. In addition to this (and this is where careful reading and good reading comprehension skills come in handy), Hot Earths can be formed when Hot Jupiters push some material forward with them during their inward migration. From the article:

"We now think there is a new class of ocean-covered--and possibly habitable--planets in solar systems unlike our own," Raymond said.

The simulations also showed that rocky planets known as hot Earths may often form when hot Jupiters push material forward during their inward treks.

(Emphasis added.)

Don't be so quick to judge

[LionMage]

Um, no, you just read the story wrong. The story is saying that both "hot Earths" and habitable, Earth-like planets can form in systems that have so-called hot Jupiters.

It amazes me how some folks are so quick to judge something that they actually wind up demonstrating their own ignorance (or inability to comprehend a slightly confusing science article, take your pick).