TRANSIT SURVEYS FOR EARTHS IN THE HABITABLE ZONES OF WHITE DWARFS

@article{Agol2011TRANSITSF,
  title={TRANSIT SURVEYS FOR EARTHS IN THE HABITABLE ZONES OF WHITE DWARFS},
  author={Eric Agol},
  journal={The Astrophysical Journal},
  year={2011},
  volume={731}
}
  • E. Agol
  • Published 2011
  • Physics
  • The Astrophysical Journal
To date the search for habitable Earth-like planets has primarily focused on nuclear burning stars. I propose that this search should be expanded to cool white dwarf stars that have expended their nuclear fuel. I define the continuously habitable zone of white dwarfs and show that it extends from ≈0.005 to 0.02 AU for white dwarfs with masses from 0.4 to 0.9 M ☉, temperatures less than ≈104 K, and habitable durations of at least 3 Gyr. As they are similar in size to Earth, white dwarfs may be… Expand
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