Lessons from early Earth: UV surface radiation should not limit the habitability of active M star systems

TL;DR

This study models the surface UV radiation on nearby potentially habitable exoplanets orbiting M stars, showing that UV levels are comparable to early Earth and unlikely to hinder habitability despite stellar flares.

Contribution

First models of surface UV environments for key exoplanets around M stars, demonstrating UV radiation is not a limiting factor for habitability.

Findings

Surface UV flux remains below early Earth levels even during flares.

Habitability of planets around M stars is not limited by UV radiation.

Closest exoplanets remain promising targets for life detection.

Abstract

The closest potentially habitable worlds outside our Solar system orbit a different kind of star than our Sun: smaller red dwarf stars. Such stars can flare frequently, bombarding their planets with biologically damaging high-energy UV radiation, placing planetary atmospheres at risk of erosion and bringing the habitability of these worlds into question. However, the surface UV flux on these worlds is unknown. Here we show the first models of the surface UV environments of the four closest potentially habitable exoplanets: Proxima-b, TRAPPIST-1e, Ross-128b, and LHS-1140b assuming different atmospheric compositions, spanning Earth-analogue to eroded and anoxic atmospheres and compare them to levels for Earth throughout its geological evolution. Even for planet models with eroded and anoxic atmospheres, surface UV radiation remains below early Earth levels, even during flares. Given that the early Earth was inhabited, we show that UV radiation should not be a limiting factor for the habitability of planets orbiting M stars. Our closest neighbouring worlds remain intriguing targets for the search for life beyond our Solar system.