Abstract
We have developed a model to investigate the duration of conditions necessary for the origin of life on a Mars-like planet. We investigate various star-planet distances and a range of stellar spectral types in order to provide guidance for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). We consider planets suitable for the origin of life if they contain liquid water habitats for time periods comparable to the maximum time required for the origin of life on Earth. A Mars-like planet will differ from an Earth-like planet primarily because it will have no plate tectonic activity and therefore no long-term recycling of CO2 We find that there is sufficient time for the origin of life on Mars-like planets around F, G, K, and M type stars. In addition, we find that Mars-like planets with an initial insolation less than the present insolation on Mars have the greatest potential for the origin of life.
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Davis, W.L., Doyle, L.R., Backman, D.E., McKay, C.P. (1991). The habitability of Mars-like planets around main sequence stars. In: Heidmann, J., Klein, M.J. (eds) Bioastronomy. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 390. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-54752-5_189
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-54752-5_189
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