The Impact of GRBs on Exoplanetary Habitability

Abstract

Can high-energy transient events affect life on a planet? We provide a review of the works that have tried to answer this question. It is argued that that gamma ray bursts, specifically those of the long class, are among the most dangerous astrophysical sources for biotic life and may exert evolutionary pressure on possible life forms in the universe. Their radiation can be directly lethal for biota or induce extinction by removing most of the protective atmospheric ozone layer on terrestrial planets. Since the rate of long gamma ray bursts is proportional to the birth rate of stars but is reduced in metal rich regions, the evolution of the “safest place” to live in our galaxy depended on the past 12 billion years of evolution of the star formation rate and relative metal pollution of the interstellar medium. Until 6 billion years ago, the outskirts of the galaxy were the safest places to live, despite the relatively low density of terrestrial planets. In the last 5 billion years, regions between 2 and 8 kiloparsecs from the center, featuring a higher density of terrestrial planets, gradually became the best places for safe biotic life growth.