Early Earth could have been heated by older evolved stars traversing a star-forming region

A remarkable discovery has been made by researchers from the University of Sheffield and Imperial College London. They have observed a “retired” asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star passing through a young star-forming region, contradicting previous beliefs.

Using data from the Gaia satellite, a mission to map the positions of billions of stars in our galaxy, the researchers were able to identify this unique interaction. The Gaia satellite’s most recent data release, Data Release 3, allows for accurate pinpointing of interloping stars that pass through star-forming regions. The team has previously discovered young interloping stars, but this is the first time an older, evolved star like an AGB has been found passing through such a region.

Prior research has shown that retired AGB stars generate large amounts of radioactively unstable chemical elements, namely Aluminum-26 and Iron-60. These elements were delivered to our young solar system during the planet formation phase and are believed to play a significant role in the early heating of Earth. In fact, Aluminum-26 and Iron-60 may have indirectly contributed to plate tectonics, which sustain a breathable atmosphere on our planet. To further explore this phenomenon, the research team has calculated the amount of Aluminum-26 and Iron-60 captured by a star like our sun during the planet formation process.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Richard Parker, a lecturer in Astrophysics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sheffield, stated, “This discovery challenges previous skepticism regarding the interaction between old, evolved stars and young stars that are still in the process of forming planets. It sheds light on the dynamics, relationships, and journeys of stars. Moreover, it suggests that other sources of Aluminum-26 and Iron-60, such as winds and supernovae from very massive stars, may not be necessary to explain the origin of these chemical elements in our solar system.”

Dr. Christina Schoettler, an Astrophysics research associate in the Department of Physics at Imperial College London, who identified the AGB star in the Gaia DR3 data, commented, “Gaia is revolutionizing our understanding of star formation and the movement of stars within our galaxy. The discovery of an old, evolved star in close proximity to young stars that are in the process of forming planets is an excellent example of the serendipitous power of scientific research.”

The next phase of this research involves searching for other evolved stars in young star-forming regions in order to determine the prevalence of these retired interlopers.

 

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