Summary of the Limits of the New Habitable Zone

Post date: Mar 24, 2013 12:45:51 AM

The new habitable zone (Kopparapu et al., 2013) has a narrow and wide definition (Figure 1). The narrower 'conservative habitable zone' is bounded by the 'moist greenhouse' and 'maximum greenhouse' limits (Table 1). The wider 'optimistic habitable zone' is bounded by the 'current Venus' and 'early Mars' limits (Table 2). We recommend to use the wider definition since the current definition of the habitable zone does not include the potential widening effects of water and CO2 clouds. A habitable zone calculator is available here. More details about these boundaries are available here.

Figure 1. Habitable Zone of around main sequence FGKM stars. The warm 'habitable' zone is divided into a 'conservative habitable zone' (light green) and an 'optimistic habitable zone' (dark green). Earth is at the inner edge of the 'conservative habitable zone.'

Table 1. Limits of the 'Conservative Habitable Zone' for various planetary parameters, including some transiting properties.

Table 2. Limits of the 'Optimistic Habitable Zone' for various planetary parameters, including some transiting properties.

Table Notes: