Circumstellar Habitable Zones in Tight Binary Star Systems

Author(s)

Elke Pilat-Lohinger, Barbara Funk, Siegfried Eggl

Abstract

The fact that up to 70% of all stellar systems in our Galaxy may not be

single-stellar but multi-stellar systems and the growing number of

detected planets in binary star systems require methods for a quick

assessment of possible habitability of a terrestrial planet in binary

star systems. Concerning planetary motion in a binary star system we

distinguish between S-type or circumstellar motion -- where the planet

orbits one of the two stars -- and P-type or circumbinary motion --

where the planet orbits both stars. This study is restricted to S-type

motion. First we applied the method of Eggl et al. (2012) and calculated

the habitable zone(HZ) of a K-M binary star, where the combined

gravitational and radiative influence plays an important role. Then we

added a giant planet and analysed the perturbations of the giant planet

and the secondary star, where mean motion resonances and secular

resonances can be observed. Finally, we studied the tight binary star

system HD41004 AB (a K-M binary) which habors a giant planet. We

determined the conditions of this system to host a habitable planet.

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

University of Vienna

Publication date

07-2013

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103004 Astrophysics

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