Chasing Nomadic Worlds: A New Class of Deep Space Missions (original) (raw)
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Nomadic Planets Near the Solar System
Gravitational microlensing has revealed an extensive population of “nomadic” planets not orbiting any star, with Jupiter-mass nomads being more populous than main sequence stars. Except for distant objects discovered through microlensing, and hot, young nomads found near star formation regions, to date only a small number of nomad candidates have been discovered. Here I show that there should be significant numbers of mature nomadic exoplanets close enough to be discovered with existing or planned astronomical resources, including possibly dozens of massive planets closer than the nearest star. Observational data are used to derive models relating mass, radius, heat flux and magnetic dipole moment; these are used to show the observability of nomads in the IR, due to thermal emissions, and at radio frequencies, due to cyclotron maser instabilities. These neighboring nomadic planets will provide a new exoplanet population for astronomical research and, eventually, direct exploration by spacecraft.
Dark Earths: Initial Goals for Interstellar Exploration
Recent research has revealed the existence of a large population of ``nomadic planets,'' planets not in orbit around any star, and these nomadic planets have been shown to be potentially capable of supporting biospheres. The density of Interstellar nomadic planets is large enough that some such planets should be considerably closer to the Sun than even the closest stars. If such close nomadic planets can be found, they would offer compelling destinations for initial interstellar missions.
Comments Astrophys., 1990
The presence of unseen mass in the solar neighbourhood has prompted modelling of, and searches for, a population of cool, low mass stars to make up the deficit. Such brown dwarfs are thought to exist within a mass range of 0.01 M⊙ < M < 0.08 M⊙. In this paper the possibility of the existence of interstellar planets (ISPs) of mass range 5x10^-9 M⊙ < M < 0.01 M⊙ is examined. Six potential modes of formation of ISPs are identified, although some are mutually exclusive, depending of different cosmogonic hypotheses. ISPs are of two basic types: those formed solitary within molecular clouds and those formed within, and subsequently unbound from, planetary systems. While the existence of the former is uncertain, interstellar planets of the unbound variety almost definitely exist, although not in sufficient quantity to account for the unseen mass. The number density of unbound planets in the solar neighbourhood may be of a similar, or greater, order of magnitude to that of stars, the majority of them being massive planetesimals ejected from planetary systems in formation. The nearest extra-solar planet may thus be closer to the solar system than the nearest star.
On A Hypothetical Mechanism of Interstellar Life Transfer Trough Nomadic Objects
Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres
Lethal radiation, low vacuum pressure and low temperatures – this is how space welcomes organisms. Crossing of immense interstellar distances inflates the exposure time of biological material to harmful space conditions. This paper discusses the intriguing possibility of a life-bearing exoplanet being ejected from its planetary system and carrying life across interstellar distances (nomadic = free floating = rogue planet). The proposed interstellar panspermia mechanism reduces the exposure time to space conditions and provides multiple chances for interactions between microbes-bearing rock debris and exoplanets within system the nomadic object encountered on its way. The testing strategy is outlined and discussed in the paper, including testable predictions the proposed hypothesis makes.
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