Metal-rich stars are less suitable for the evolution of life on their planets

Anna V. Shapiro; Christoph Brühl; Klaus Klingmüller; Benedikt Steil; Alexander I. Shapiro; Veronika Witzke; Nadiia Kostogryz; Laurent Gizon; Sami K. Solanki; Jos Lelieveld

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-37195-4

Metal-rich stars are less suitable for the evolution of life on their planets

Anna V. Shapiro, Christoph Brühl, Klaus Klingmüller, Benedikt Steil, Alexander I. Shapiro, Veronika Witzke, Nadiia Kostogryz, Laurent Gizon, Sami K. Solanki, Jos Lelieveld

Center for Space Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Atmospheric ozone and oxygen protect the terrestrial biosphere against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Here, we model atmospheres of Earth-like planets hosted by stars with near-solar effective temperatures (5300 to 6300 K) and a broad range of metallicities covering known exoplanet host stars. We show that paradoxically, although metal-rich stars emit substantially less ultraviolet radiation than metal-poor stars, the surface of their planets is exposed to more intense ultraviolet radiation. For the stellar types considered, metallicity has a larger impact than stellar temperature. During the evolution of the universe, newly formed stars have progressively become more metal-rich, exposing organisms to increasingly intense ultraviolet radiation. Our findings imply that planets hosted by stars with low metallicity are the best targets to search for complex life on land.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	1893
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37195-4
State	Published - Dec 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1038/s41467-023-37195-4

Cite this

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title = "Metal-rich stars are less suitable for the evolution of life on their planets",

abstract = "Atmospheric ozone and oxygen protect the terrestrial biosphere against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Here, we model atmospheres of Earth-like planets hosted by stars with near-solar effective temperatures (5300 to 6300 K) and a broad range of metallicities covering known exoplanet host stars. We show that paradoxically, although metal-rich stars emit substantially less ultraviolet radiation than metal-poor stars, the surface of their planets is exposed to more intense ultraviolet radiation. For the stellar types considered, metallicity has a larger impact than stellar temperature. During the evolution of the universe, newly formed stars have progressively become more metal-rich, exposing organisms to increasingly intense ultraviolet radiation. Our findings imply that planets hosted by stars with low metallicity are the best targets to search for complex life on land.",

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AU - Shapiro, Anna V.

AU - Brühl, Christoph

AU - Klingmüller, Klaus

AU - Steil, Benedikt

AU - Shapiro, Alexander I.

AU - Witzke, Veronika

AU - Kostogryz, Nadiia

AU - Gizon, Laurent

AU - Solanki, Sami K.

AU - Lelieveld, Jos

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

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AB - Atmospheric ozone and oxygen protect the terrestrial biosphere against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Here, we model atmospheres of Earth-like planets hosted by stars with near-solar effective temperatures (5300 to 6300 K) and a broad range of metallicities covering known exoplanet host stars. We show that paradoxically, although metal-rich stars emit substantially less ultraviolet radiation than metal-poor stars, the surface of their planets is exposed to more intense ultraviolet radiation. For the stellar types considered, metallicity has a larger impact than stellar temperature. During the evolution of the universe, newly formed stars have progressively become more metal-rich, exposing organisms to increasingly intense ultraviolet radiation. Our findings imply that planets hosted by stars with low metallicity are the best targets to search for complex life on land.

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Metal-rich stars are less suitable for the evolution of life on their planets

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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