Among scientists studying space and the universe, there is an opinion that our solar system is not “built” in the best way, since there is a significant amount of wasted space between the planets. It is not surprising that many of them dream that between Mars and Jupiter there is another intermediate planet, and better not one.
But the reality is that a dream for some can turn into a horror for others. The fact is that the solar system is in such a perfect balance that any attempt to interfere with it can turn into chaos.
To prove this on a scientific level, astrophysicist Stephen Kane from the University of California at Riverside (USA) conducted a thorough study, the results of which were published in The Planetary Science Journal.
Kane managed to establish that even the appearance of one small planet would lead to the fact that the entire solar system would go crazy.
For the experiment, he took into account the appearance of a planet whose mass is in the mass range between Earth and Neptune, which is 17 times larger than our home planet.
While planets of this size are common elsewhere in the galaxy, there is no super-Earth or mini-Neptune in the solar system. There is a huge “chasm” between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, which is filled with an asteroid belt, although a planet could easily fit there.
For example, the average distance from Earth to Mars is 225 million kilometers, despite the fact that in 2003 the two planets approached “only” 54.6 million kilometers (this approach will not occur until 2237, according to NASA). From the red planet to Jupiter – already as much as 550 million kilometers.
“Planetologists often dream that there is something in between these two planets,” Kane explained, noting that such free space is considered by many scientists to be a waste.
The astrophysicist decided to fulfill the dream of planetary scientists and created a simulation in which he placed the planet between Mars and Jupiter. And then chaos ensued.
“This fictional planet gave Jupiter just enough of a boost to destabilize everything else,” Kane said of the results, joking that humanity is lucky that such a planet doesn’t really exist.
The level of chaos in the solar system was completely dependent on what was the mass of the new planet and how far from the sun it was. The average orbit of Mars is located at a distance of 1.5 astronomical units (AO) from the Sun; Jupiter – at a distance of 5.2 AO.
Kane explained that the only point at which the new planet, under certain additional conditions, had a chance of peaceful existence along with other planets was at a distance of 3 AO from the Sun. But a small step to the left and right – and the harmony is over.
According to Kane’s calculations, a planet at a distance of 3.1 to 4 AO would disrupt the orbit of Mercury, and at a distance of 2.0 to 2.7 AO would shake Mars.
Jupiter and Saturn would not be much affected by such a planet, but the angular momentum they impart to Uranus and Neptune would destabilize the ice giants.
In the worst case scenario, as the simulation showed, Venus, Mercury, Earth, Mars, Uranus and Neptune could eventually be thrown out of the solar system.
At best, the Earth’s orbit would deviate sharply from its current course, making our planet less habitable, or completely unsuitable.
Scientists already know that Jupiter is a kind of protector of the Earth, as it protects our planet from asteroid bombardments, but, according to Kane, the simulation may indicate that Jupiter also acts as a “stabilizer” of the solar system, preventing the formation of a planet in space with its gravitational influence. occupying the asteroid belt.
“Our solar system is more finely tuned than I thought before. It all works like a complex clockwork. Add more gears and everything will break,” Kane summed up his research.
Earlier, GLOBAL HAPPENINGS wrote about the forecast of scientists who calculated what would happen to humanity in the event of an asteroid collision with the Earth.
Source: Obozrevatel
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