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Constraints in the coupling Star-Life

L. Sertorio·G. Tinetti
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Abstract

If life is sustained by a process of photosynthesis, not necessarily the same existing on Earth, the surface temperature of the star and the orbit of the host planet cannot be whatsoever. In fact the global life cycle, no matter how complicated, must contain in general an upper photochemical branch and a lower dark branch, characterized by a higher and a lower temperature. These two temperatures are star-orbit related. The velocity along the cycle or, in other words, the power of the life machine, depends in general on several other parameters. First of all the Gibbs photon availability, which is a star-orbit parameter and is the input for the upper branch. Then follows the energy cascade that develops along the organic web with a large number of interactions and typical times that must match the typical times generated by the combination of spin value and orientation, eccentricity and precession. Finally, the capacity of the web to keep the global life cycle running along the life span of the star, comes from some inner form of self-endurance and self-balance. The property of not being transient could be the right way of introducing the concept of intelligent life.

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L. Sertorio, G. Tinetti. 2001-10-01. Constraints in the coupling Star-Life. https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0110031

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