Flare-driven Habitability: Expanding Life’s Potential Around Low-mass Stars

The traditional definition of the circumstellar habitable zone (HZ) focuses on liquid water, but neglects the crucial role of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in prebiotic chemistry.

Low-mass stars typically emit insufficient UV radiation for photochemistry throughout the liquid water HZs (LW-HZs) during quiescent states. However, frequent flares can provide substantial UV fluxes, potentially fostering habitable conditions.

We refine the concept of a UV radiation HZ (UV-HZ) by incorporating a temperature-dependent model for RNA precursor synthesis. Furthermore, we explore a parameterized spectral energy distribution model and adopt an empirical flare frequency distribution for flares on different stars to quantify their UV contribution.

Applying this framework to different flaring stars, we find that the UV-HZ around low-mass stars can extend to inner regions and overlap with the traditional HZ in wide ranges. Applying the analysis to 9 planets around Kepler flaring stars, three planets are located within both the refined UV-HZ and the LW-HZ without causing ozone depletion.

Our findings highlight the significant role of flares in expanding the potential for life around low-mass stars, offering a revised perspective on exoplanet habitability criteria.

Flare-driven habitability: Expanding life’s potential around low-mass stars, The Innovation (open access)

Astrobiology,