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While Gliese 581d is too small and far away to observe directly, we can infer some things about it from the gravitational effects that it has on its parent star and fellow planets. We know that Gliese 581d is about twice the size of Earth (and six times the mass), we know that it's rocky (not a gas giant like Jupiter or Saturn). This means that it's large enough and dense enough to be able to hold on to a substantial atmosphere. We can also estimate about how much energy Gliese 581d receives from its red dwarf star, and based on all of this information, French scientists have been able to model a range of potential climates showing that "GJ581d will have a stable atmosphere and surface liquid water for a wide range of plausible cases."
That's not to say it would necessarily be a pleasant place to live, though. The atmosphere is mostly CO2, and while you'd get clouds and warm rain and oceans and stuff, the surface itself would be "in a perpetual murky red twilight." The planet also may be tidally locked (meaning that one side perpetually faces its sun), and at double Earth's gravity, it's not exactly a vacation spot.
While 20 light years is extremely close on the galactic scale, using current technology it would still take us humans about 300,000 years to reach the Gliese system. A better bet, at least for now, might be to just send an interstellar probe, which might be able to reach Gliese 581d in just a century or two.
It has been suggested that... GJ581d might be able to support liquid water... ...Under such conditions, it is unknown whether any habitable climate on the planet would be able to withstand global glaciation and / or atmospheric collapse.... ...Here we present three-dimensional climate simulations..."
Originally posted by pazcat
I don't think was confirmed in the slightest bit.
Here is the first part of the paper that the article was supposedly based on.
It has been suggested that... GJ581d might be able to support liquid water... ...Under such conditions, it is unknown whether any habitable climate on the planet would be able to withstand global glaciation and / or atmospheric collapse.... ...Here we present three-dimensional climate simulations..."
arxiv.org...
It's all based on what if, certainly not a confirmation of anything apart from what their simulation said IF certain things were present.edit on 27-5-2011 by pazcat because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by pazcat
I don't think was confirmed in the slightest bit.
Here is the first part of the paper that the article was supposedly based on.
It has been suggested that... GJ581d might be able to support liquid water... ...Under such conditions, it is unknown whether any habitable climate on the planet would be able to withstand global glaciation and / or atmospheric collapse.... ...Here we present three-dimensional climate simulations..."
arxiv.org...
It's all based on what if, certainly not a confirmation of anything apart from what their simulation said IF certain things were present.edit on 27-5-2011 by pazcat because: (no reason given)
Still, interesting the more this develops. I wonder if the Glieseanians (Gliesanites? G-units?) need to wear sunscreen
water (or at least the elements hydrogen and oxygen) are the most common elements in the milky way (arguably universe). I would argue that if there is a planet that could support liquid water, it does support liquid water just because if how common it is.