Journal Article 1 Mention
Seeding Life on the Moons of the Outer Planets via Lithopanspermia
Rachel Worth2013
Steinn SigurðssonChristopher H. House
Top 15% · 85th percentile
61 citations · Astronomy and Astrophysics
Open Access

Summary

1 Sample Definition And Size

The study simulated tens of thousands of meteoroid ejecta particles from Earth and Mars using n‑body simulations. Specifically, approximately 43,500 particles were ejected from Earth and 40,500 from Mars in the 10 Myr simulations; a subset (9,000 from Earth and 6,000 from Mars) were extended to 30 Myr simulations ([pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870607/?utm_source=openai)).

2 Study Type

This is a computational study using n‑body simulations (hybrid symplectic integrator MERCURY) to model the trajectories of ejecta from Earth and Mars over time, assessing transfer probabilities to other Solar System bodies ([pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870607/?utm_source=openai)).

3 Conflicts Of Interest

No conflicts of interest are declared in the accessible metadata or full text ([pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870607/?utm_source=openai)).

4 Results Summary

Key findings include: from Earth ejecta, probabilities over 3.5 Gyr of transfer were ~0.041% to Jupiter (≈83,000 fragments; ~2.8×10^10 kg) and ~0.0069% to Saturn (≈14,000 fragments; ~4.7×10^9 kg); from Mars ejecta, ~0.04% to Jupiter (≈320,000 fragments; ~1.1×10^11 kg) and <0.0025% to Saturn (<20,000 fragments; <6.8×10^9 kg) ([pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870607/?utm_source=openai)). Simulations of moon impacts yielded expectation values of one to a few objects reaching Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Enceladus, and Titan from Earth since the Late Heavy Bombardment, with slightly higher numbers from Mars; Mars‑to‑Saturn moon transfers were less likely but not entirely ruled out ([pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3870607/?utm_source=openai)).

Abstract

Material from the surface of a planet can be ejected into space by a large impact and could carry primitive life-forms with it. We performed n-body simulations of such ejecta to determine where in the Solar System rock from Earth and Mars may end up. We found that, in addition to frequent transfer of material among the terrestrial planets, transfer of material from Earth and Mars to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn is also possible, but rare. We expect that such transfers were most likely to occur during the Late Heavy Bombardment or during the ensuing 1-2 billion years. At this time, the icy moons were warmer and likely had little or no ice shell to prevent meteorites from reaching their liquid interiors. We also note significant rates of re-impact in the first million years after ejection. This could re-seed life on a planet after partial or complete sterilization by a large impact, which would aid the survival of early life during the Late Heavy Bombardment.

Referenced In