Asteroids and life: How special is the solar system?

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the configuration of giant planets influences asteroid impacts on habitable planets, suggesting that the solar system's setup is somewhat unique but not excessively fine-tuned for life's emergence.

Contribution

It analyzes the role of secular resonances in asteroid impact delivery and explores how giant planet arrangements affect asteroid belt stability and impact rates.

Findings

Secular resonance within asteroid belts may be common in exoplanetary systems.

The solar system's configuration is somewhat special but not highly fine-tuned.

Close to 2:1 mean motion resonance, asteroid belts become unstable without increasing impacts.

Abstract

Asteroid impacts with the Earth may have played an essential role in the emergence of life on Earth through their creation of favorable niches for life, changes to the atmosphere and delivery of water. Consequently, we suggest two potential requirements for life in an exoplanetary system: first, that the system has an asteroid belt, and second, that there is a mechanism to drive asteroids to impact the terrestrial habitable planet. Since in the solar system, the $\nu_6$ secular resonance has been shown to have been important in driving these impacts, we explore how the masses and locations of two giant planets determine the location and strength of this secular resonance. Examining observed exoplanetary systems with two giant planets, we find that a secular resonance within the asteroid belt region may not be uncommon. Hence the solar system is somewhat special, but the degree of fine-tuning that may be necessary for the emergence of life is not excessive. Finally, with $n$-body simulations, we show that when the two giant planets are close to the 2:1 mean motion resonance, the asteroid belt is unstable but this does not lead to increased asteroid delivery.