Evidence for the Fine-Tuning of the Galaxy-Sun-Earth-Moon System for Life Support
The environmental requirements for life to exist depend quite strongly on the life form in question. The conditions for primitive life to exist, for example, are not nearly so demanding as they are for advanced life. Also, it makes a big difference how active the life form is and how long it remains in its environment. On this basis there are six distinct zones or regions in which life can exist. In order of the broadest to the narrowest they are as follows:
for unicellular, low metabolism life that persists for only a brief time period
for unicellular, low metabolism life that persists for a long time period
for unicellular, high metabolism life that persists for a brief time period
for unicellular, high metabolism life that persists for a long time period
for advanced life that survives for just a brief time period
for advanced life that survives for a long time period
Complicating factors, however, are that unicellular, low metabolism life (extremophiles) typically is more easily subject to radiation damage and it has a low molecular repair rate. The origin of life problem is far more difficult for low metabolism life (H. James Cleaves II and John H. Chambers, “Extremophiles May Be Irrelevant to the Origin of Life,†Astrobiology, 4 (2004), pp. 1-9). The following parameters of a planet, its planetary companions, its moon, its star, and its galaxy must have values falling within narrowly defined ranges for physical life of any kind to exist. References follow the list.
galaxy cluster type
if too rich: galaxy collisions and mergers would disrupt solar orbit
if too sparse: insufficient infusion of gas to sustain star formation for a long enough time
galaxy size
if too large: infusion of gas and stars would disturb sun’s orbit and ignite too many galactic eruptions
if too small: insufficient infusion of gas to sustain star formation for long enough time
galaxy type
if too elliptical: star formation would cease before sufficient heavy element build-up for life chemistry
if too irregular: radiation exposure on occasion would be too severe and heavy elements for life chemistry would not be available
galaxy mass distribution
if too much in the central bulge: life-supportable planet will be exposed to too much radiation
if too much in the spiral arms: life-supportable planet will be destabliized by the gravity and radiation from adjacent spiral arms
galaxy location
if too close to a rich galaxy cluster: galaxy would be gravitationally disrupted
if too close to very large galaxy(ies): galaxy would be gravitationally disrupted
if too far away from dwarf galaxies: insufficient infall of gas and dust to sustain ongoing star formation
decay rate of cold dark matter particles
if too small: too few dwarf spheroidal galaxies will form which prevents star formation from lasting long enough in large galaxies so that life-supportable planets become possible
if too great: too many dwarf spheroidal galaxies will form which will make the orbits of solar-type stars unstable over long time periods and lead to the generation of deadly radiation episodes
hypernovae eruptions
if too few not enough heavy element ashes present for the formation of rocky planets
if too many: relative abundances of heavy elements on rocky planets would be inappropriate for life; too many collision events in planetary system
if too soon: leads to a galaxy evolution history that would disturb the possibility of advanced life; not enough heavy element ashes present for the formation of rocky planets
if too late: leads to a galaxy evolution history that would disturb the possibility of advanced life; relative abundances of heavy elements on rocky planets would be inappropriate for life; too many collision events in planetary system
supernovae eruptions
if too close: life on the planet would be exterminated by radiation
if too far: not enough heavy element ashes would exist for the formation of rocky planets
if too infrequent: not enough heavy element ashes present for the formation of rocky planets
if too frequent: life on the planet would be exterminated
if too soon: heavy element ashes would be too dispersed for the formation of rocky planets at an early enough time in cosmic history
if too late: life on the planet would be exterminated by radiation
white dwarf binaries
if too few: insufficient flourine would be produced for life chemistry to proceed
if too many: planetary orbits disrupted by stellar density; life on planet would be exterminated
if too soon: not enough heavy elements would be made for efficient flourine production
if too late: flourine would be made too late for incorporation in protoplanet
proximity of solar nebula to a supernova eruption
if farther: insufficient heavy elements for life would be absorbed
if closer: nebula would be blown apart
timing of solar nebula formation relative to supernova eruption
if earlier: nebula would be blown apart
if later: nebula would not absorb enough heavy elements
number of stars in parent star birth aggregate
if too few: insufficient input of certain heavy elements into the solar nebula
if too many: planetary orbits will be too radically disturbed
star formation history in parent star vicinity
if too much too soon: planetary orbits will be too radically disturbed
birth date of the star-planetary system
if too early: quantity of heavy elements will be too low for large rocky planets to form
if too late: star would not yet have reached stable burning phase; ratio of potassium-40, uranium-235 & 238, and thorium-232 to iron will be too low for long-lived plate tectonics to be sustained on a rocky planet
parent star distance from center of galaxy
if farther: quantity of heavy elements would be insufficient to make rocky planets; wrong abundances of silicon, sulfur, and magnesium relative to iron for appropriate planet core characteristics
if closer: galactic radiation would be too great; stellar density would disturb planetary orbits; wrong abundances of silicon, sulfur, and magnesium relative to iron for appropriate planet core characteristics
parent star distance from closest spiral arm
if too large: exposure to harmful radiation from galactic core would be too great
z-axis heights of star’s orbit
if more than one: tidal interactions would disrupt planetary orbit of life support planet
if less than one: heat produced would be insufficient for life
quantity of galactic dust
if too small: star and planet formation rate is inadequate; star and planet formation occurs too late; too much exposure to stellar ultraviolet radiation
if too large: blocked view of the Galaxy and of objects beyond the Galaxy; star and planet formation occurs too soon and at too high of a rate; too many collisions and orbit perturbations in the Galaxy and in the planetary system
number of stars in the planetary system
if more than one: tidal interactions would disrupt planetary orbit of life support planet
if less than one: heat produced would be insufficient for life
parent star age
if older: luminosity of star would change too quickly
if younger: luminosity of star would change too quickly
parent star mass
if greater: luminosity of star would change too quickly; star would burn too rapidly
if less: range of planet distances for life would be too narrow; tidal forces would disrupt the life planet’s rotational period; uv radiation would be inadequate for plants to make sugars and oxygen
parent star metallicity
if too small: insufficient heavy elements for life chemistry would exist
if too large: radioactivity would be too intense for life; life would be poisoned by heavy element concentrations
parent star color
if redder: photosynthetic response would be insufficient
if bluer: photosynthetic response would be insufficient
galactic tides
if too weak: too low of a comet ejection rate from giant planet region
if too strong too high of a comet ejection rate from giant planet region
H3+ production
if too small: simple molecules essential to planet formation and life chemistry will not form
if too large: planets will form at wrong time and place for life
flux of cosmic ray protons
if too small: inadequate cloud formation in planet’s troposphere
if too large: too much cloud formation in planet’s troposphere
solar wind
if too weak: too many cosmic ray protons reach planet’s troposphere causing too much cloud formation
if too strong: too few cosmic ray protons reach planet’s troposphere causing too little cloud formation
parent star luminosity relative to speciation
if increases too soon: runaway green house effect would develop
if increases too late: runaway glaciation would develop
surface gravity (escape velocity)
if stronger: planet’s atmosphere would retain too much ammonia and methane
if weaker: planet’s atmosphere would lose too much water
distance from parent star
if farther: planet would be too cool for a stable water cycle
if closer: planet would be too warm for a stable water cycle
inclination of orbit
if too great: temperature differences on the planet would be too extreme
orbital eccentricity
if too great: seasonal temperature differences would be too extreme
axial tilt
if greater: surface temperature differences would be too great
if less: surface temperature differences would be too great
rate of change of axial tilt
if greater: climatic changes would be too extreme; surface temperature differences would become too extreme
rotation period
if longer: diurnal temperature differences would be too great
if shorter: atmospheric wind velocities would be too great
rate of change in rotation period
if longer:surface temperature range necessary for life would not be sustained
if shorter:surface temperature range necessary for life would not be sustained
planet age
if too young: planet would rotate too rapidly
if too old: planet would rotate too slowly
magnetic field
if stronger: electromagnetic storms would be too severe; too few cosmic ray protons would reach planet’s troposphere which would inhibit adequate cloud formation
if weaker: ozone shield would be inadequately protected from hard stellar and solar radiation
thickness of crust
if thicker: too much oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust
if thinner: volcanic and tectonic activity would be too great
albedo (ratio of reflected light to total amount falling on surface)
if greater: runaway glaciation would develop
if less: runaway greenhouse effect would develop
asteroidal and cometary collision rate
if greater: too many species would become extinct
if less: crust would be too depleted of materials essential for life
mass of body colliding with primordial Earth
if smaller: Earth’s atmosphere would be too thick; moon would be too small
if greater: Earth’s orbit and form would be too greatly disturbed
timing of body colliding with primordial Earth
if earlier: Earth’s atmosphere would be too thick; moon would be too small
if later: sun would be too luminous at epoch for advanced life
collision location of body colliding with primordial Earth
if too close to grazing: insufficient debris to form large moon; inadequate annihilation of Earth’s primordial atmosphere; inadequate transfer of heavy elements to Earth
If too close to dead center: damage from collision would be too destructive for future life to survive
oxygen to nitrogen ratio in atmosphere
if larger: advanced life functions would proceed too quickly
if smaller: advanced life functions would proceed too slowly
carbon dioxide level in atmosphere
if greater: runaway greenhouse effect would develop
if less: plants would be unable to maintain efficient photosynthesis
water vapor level in atmosphere
if greater: runaway greenhouse effect would develop
if less: rainfall would be too meager for advanced life on the land
atmospheric electric discharge rate
if greater: too much fire destruction would occur
if less: too little nitrogen would be fixed in the atmosphere
ozone level in atmosphere
if greater: surface temperatures would be too low
if less: surface temperatures would be too high; there would be too much uv radiation at the surface
oxygen quantity in atmosphere
if greater: plants and hydrocarbons would burn up too easily
if less: advanced animals would have too little to breathe
nitrogen quantity in atmosphere
if greater: too much buffering of oxygen for advanced animal respiration; too much nitrogen fixation for support of diverse plant species
if less: too little buffering of oxygen for advanced animal respiration; too little nitrogen fixation for support of diverse plant species
ratio of 40K, 235,238U, 232Th to iron for the planet
if too low: inadequate levels of plate tectonic and volcanic activity
if too high: radiation, earthquakes, and volcanoes at levels too high for advanced life
rate of interior heat loss
if too low: inadequate energy to drive the required levels of plate tectonic and volcanic activity
if too high: plate tectonic and volcanic activity shuts down too quickly
seismic activity
if greater: too many life-forms would be destroyed
if less: nutrients on ocean floors from river runoff would not be recycled to continents through tectonics; not enough carbon dioxide would be released from carbonates
volcanic activity
if lower: insufficient amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapor would be returned to the atmosphere; soil mineralization would become too degraded for life
if higher: advanced life, at least, would be destroyed
rate of decline in tectonic activity
if slower: advanced life can never survive on the planet
if faster: advanced life can never survive on the planet
rate of decline in volcanic activity
if slower: advanced life can never survive on the planet
if faster: advanced life can never survive on the planet
timing of birth of continent formation
if too early: silicate-carbonate cycle would be destabilized
if too late: silicate-carbonate cycle would be destabilized
oceans-to-continents ratio
if greater: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited
if smaller: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited
rate of change in oceans-to-continents ratio
if smaller: advanced life will lack the needed land mass area
if greater: advanced life would be destroyed by the radical changes
global distribution of continents (for Earth)
if too much in the southern hemisphere: seasonal differences would be too severe for advanced life
frequency and extent of ice ages
if smaller: insufficient fertile, wide, and well-watered valleys produced for diverse and advanced life forms; insufficient mineral concentrations occur for diverse and advanced life
if greater: planet inevitably experiences runaway freezing
soil mineralization
if too nutrient poor: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited
if too nutrient rich: diversity and complexity of life-forms would be limited
gravitational interaction with a moon
if greater: tidal effects on the oceans, atmosphere, and rotational period would be too severe
if less: orbital obliquity changes would cause climatic instabilities; movement of nutrients and life from the oceans to the continents and vice versa would be insufficent; magnetic field would be too weak
Jupiter distance
if greater: too many asteroid and comet collisions would occur on Earth
if less: Earth’s orbit would become unstable
Jupiter mass
if greater: Earth’s orbit would become unstable
if less: too many asteroid and comet collisions would occur on Earth
drift in major planet distances
if greater: Earth’s orbit would become unstable
if less: too many asteroid and comet collisions would occur on Earth
major planet eccentricities
if greater: orbit of life supportable planet would be pulled out of life support zone
major planet orbital instabilities
if greater: orbit of life supportable planet would be pulled out of life support zone
mass of Neptune
if too small: not enough Kuiper Belt Objects (asteroids beyond Neptune) would be scattered out of the solar system
if too large: chaotic resonances among the gas giant planets would occur
Kuiper Belt of asteroids (beyond Neptune)
if not massive enough: Neptune’s orbit remains too eccentric which destabilizes the orbits of other solar system planets
if too massive: too many chaotic resonances and collisions would occur in the solar system
separation distances among inner terrestrial planets
if too small: orbits of all inner planets will become unstable in less than 100,000,000 million years
if too large: orbits of the most distant from star inner planets will become chaotic
atmospheric pressure
if too small: liquid water will evaporate too easily and condense too infrequently; weather and climate variation would be too extreme; lungs will not function
if too large: liquid water will not evaporate easily enough for land life; insufficient sunlight reaches planetary surface; insufficient uv radiation reaches planetary surface; insufficient climate and weather variation; lungs will not function
atmospheric transparency
if smaller: insufficient range of wavelengths of solar radiation reaches planetary surface
if greater: too broad a range of wavelengths of solar radiation reaches planetary surface
magnitude and duration of sunspot cycle
if smaller or shorter: insufficient variation in climate and weather
if greater or longer: variation in climate and weather would be too much
continental relief
if smaller: insufficient variation in climate and weather
if greater: variation in climate and weather would be too much
chlorine quantity in atmosphere
if smaller: erosion rates, acidity of rivers, lakes, and soils, and certain metabolic rates would be insufficient for most life forms
if greater: erosion rates, acidity of rivers, lakes, and soils, and certain metabolic rates would be too high for most life forms
iron quantity in oceans and soils
if smaller: quantity and diversity of life would be too limited for support of advanced life; if very small, no life would be possible
if larger: iron poisoning of at least advanced life would result
tropospheric ozone quantity
if smaller: insufficient cleansing of biochemical smogs would result
if larger: respiratory failure of advanced animals, reduced crop yields, and destruction of ozone-sensitive species would result
stratospheric ozone quantity
if smaller: too much uv radiation reaches planet’s surface causing skin cancers and reduced plant growth
if larger: too little uv radiation reaches planet’s surface causing reduced plant growth and insufficient vitamin production for animals
mesospheric ozone quantity
if smaller: circulation and chemistry of mesospheric gases so disturbed as to upset relative abundances of life essential gases in lowe atmosphere
if greater: circulation and chemistry of mesospheric gases so disturbed as to upset relative abundances of life essential gases in lower atmosphere
quantity and extent of forest and grass fires
if smaller: growth inhibitors in the soils would accumulate; soil nitrification would be insufficient; insufficient charcoal production for adequate soil water retention and absorption of certain growth inhibitors
if greater: too many plant and animal life forms would be destroyed
quantity of soil sulfer
if smaller: plants will become defieient in certain proteins and die
if larger: plants will die from sulfur toxins; acidity of wate and soil will become too great for life; nitrogen cycles will be disturbed
biomass to comet infall ratio
if smaller: greenhouse gases accumulate, triggering runaway surface temperature increase
if larger: greenhouse gases decline, triggering a runaway freezing
density of quasars
if smaller: insufficient production and ejection of cosmic dust into the intergalactic medium; ongoing star formation impeded; deadly radiation unblocked
if larger: too much cosmic dust forms; too many stars form too late disrupting the formation of a solar-type star at the right time and under the right conditions for life
density of giant galaxies in the early universe
if smaller: insufficient metals ejected into the intergalactic medium depriving future generations of stars of the metal abundances necessary for a life-support planet at the right time in cosmic history
if larger: too large a quantity of metals ejected into the intergalactic medium providing future stars with too high of a metallicity for a life-support planet at the right time in cosmic history
giant star density in galaxy
if smaller: insufficient production of galactic dust; ongoing star formation impeded; deadly radiation unblocked
if larger: too much galactic dust forms; too many stars form too early disrupting the formation of a solar-type star at the right time and under the right conditions for life
rate of sedimentary loading at crustal subduction zones
if smaller: too few instabilities to trigger the movement of crustal plates into the mantle thereby disrupting carbonate-silicate cycle
if larger: too many instabilities triggering too many crustal plates to move down into the mantle thereby disrupting carbonate-silicate cycle
poleward heat transport in planet’s atmosphere
if smaller: disruption of climates and ecosystems; lowered biomass and species diversity; decreased storm activity and precipitation
if larger: disruption of climates and ecosystems; lowered biomass and species diversity; increased storm activity
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon abundance in solar nebula
if smaller: insufficient early production of asteroids which would prevent a planet like Earth from receiving adequate delivery of heavy elements and carbonaceous material for life, advanced life in particular
if larger: early production of asteroids would be too great resulting in too many collision events striking a planet arising out of the nebula that could support life
phosphorus and iron absorption by banded iron formations
if smaller: overproduction of cyanobacteria would have consumed too much carbon dioxide and released too much oxygen into Earth’s atmosphere thereby overcompensating for the increase in the Sun’s luminosity (too much reduction in atmospheric greenhouse efficiency)
if larger: underproduction of cyanobacteria would have consumed too little carbon dioxide and released too little oxygen into Earth’s atmosphere thereby undercomsating for the increase in the Sun’s luminosity (too little reduction in atmospheric greenhouse efficiency)
silicate dust annealing by nebular shocks
if too little: rocky planets with efficient plate tectonics cannot form
if too much: too many collisions in planetary system.; too severe orbital instabilities in planetary system
size of galactic central bulge
if smaller: inadequate infusion of gas and dust into the spiral arms preventing solar type stars from forming at the right locations late enough in the galaxy’s history
if larger: radiation from the bulge region would kill life on the life-support planet
total mass of Kuiper Belt asteroids
if smaller: Neptune’s orbit would not be adequately circularized
if larger: too severe gravitational instabilities generated in outer solar system
solar magnetic activity level
if greater: solar luminosity fluctuations will be too large
number of hypernovae
if smaller: too little nitrogen is produced in the early universe, thus, cannot get the kinds of stars and planets later in the universe that are necessary for life
if larger: too much nitrogen is produced in the early universe, thus, cannot get the kinds of stars and planets later in the universe that are necessary for life
timing of hypernovae production
if too early: galaxies become too metal rich too quickly to make stars and planets suitable for life support at the right time
if too late: insufficient metals available to make quickly enough stars and planets suitable for life support
masses of stars that become hypernovae
if not massive enough: insufficient metals are ejected into the interstellar medium; that is, not enough metals are available for future star generations to make stars and planets suitable for the support of life
if too massive: all the metals produced by the hypernova eruptions collapse into the black holes resulting from the eruptions; that is, none of the metals are available for future generations of stars
quantity of geobacteraceae
if smaller or non-existent: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons accumulate in the surface environment thereby contaminating the environment for other life forms
density of brown dwarfs
if too low: too many low mass stars are produced which will disrupt planetary orbits
if too high: disruption of planetary orbits
quantity of aerobic photoheterotrophic bacteria
if smaller: inadequate recycling of both organic and inorganic carbon in the oceans
average rainfall preciptiation
if too small: inadequate water supplies for land-based life; inadequate erosion of land masses to sustain the carbonate-silicate cycle.; inadequate erosion to sustain certain species of ocean life that are vital for the existence of all life
if too large: too much erosion of land masses which upsets the carbonate-silicate cycle and hastens the extinction of many species of life that are vital for the existence of all life
variation and timing of average rainfall precipitation
if too small or at the wrong time: erosion rates that upset the carbonate-silicate cycle and fail to adjust adequately the planet’s atmosphere for the increase in the sun’s luminosity
if too large or at the wrong time: erosion rates that upset the carbonate-silicate cycle and fail to adjust the planet’s atmosphere for the increase in the sun’s luminosity
average slope or relief of the continental land masses
if too small: inadequate erosion
if too large: too much erosion
distance from nearest black hole
if too close: radiation will prove deadly for life
absorption rate of planets and planetismals by parent star
if too low: disturbs sun’s luminosity and stability of sun’s long term luminosity
if too high: disturbs orbits of inner solar system planets; disturbs sun’s luminosity and stability of sun’s long term luminosity
water absorption capacity of planet’s lower mantle
if too low: too much water on planet’s surface; no continental land masses; too little plate tectonic activity; carbonate-silicate cycle disrupted
if too high: too little water on planet’s surface; too little plate tectonic activity; carbonate-silicate cycle disrupted
gas dispersal rate by companion stars, shock waves, and molecular cloud expansion in the Sun’s birthing star cluster
if too low: too many stars form in Sun’s vicinity which will disturb planetary orbits and pose a radiation problem; too much gas and dust in solar system’s vicinity
if too high: not enough gas and dust condensation for the Sun and its planets to form; insufficient gas and dust in solar system’s vicinity
decay rate of cold dark matter particles
if too low: insufficient production of dwarf spheroidal galaxies which will limit the maintenance of long-lived large spiral galaxies
if too high: too many dwarf spheroidal galaxies produced which will cause spiral galaxies to be too unstable
ratio of inner dark halo mass to stellar mass for galaxy
if too low: corotation distance is too close to the center of the galaxy which exposes the life-support planet to too much radiation and too many gravitational disturbances
if too high: corotation distance is too far from the center of the galaxy where the abundance of heavy elements is too sparse to make rocky planets
star rotation rate
if too slow: too weak of a magnetic field resulting in not enough protection from cosmic rays for the life-support planet
if too fast: too much chromospheric emission causing radiation problems for the life-support planet
rate of nearby gamma ray bursts
if too low: insufficient mass extinctions of life to create new habitats for more advanced species
if too high: too many mass extinctions of life for the maintenance of long-lived species
aerosol particle density emitted from forests
if too low: too little cloud condensation which reduces rainfall, lowers the albedo (planetary reflectivity), and disturbs climates on a global scale
if too high: too much cloud condensation which increases rainfall, raises the albedo (planetary reflectivity), and disturbs climate on a global scale; too much smog
density of interstellar and interplanetary dust particles in vicinity of life-support planet
if too low: inadequate delivery of life-essential materials
if too high: disturbs climate too radically on life-support planet
thickness of mid-mantle boundary
if too thin: mantle convection eddies become too strong; tectonic activity and silicate production become too great
if too thick: mantle convection eddies become too weak; tectonic activity and silicate production become too small
galaxy cluster density
if too low: insufficient infall of gas, dust, and dwarf galaxies into a large galaxy that eventually could form a life-supportable planet
if too high: gravitational influences from nearby galaxies will disturb orbit of the star that has a life-supprtable planet thereby exposing that planet either to deadly radiation or to gravitational disturbances from other stars in that galaxy
star formation rate in solar neighborhood during past 4 billion years
if too high: life on Earth will be exposed to deadly radiation or orbit of Earth will be disturbed
variation in star formation rate in solar neighborhood during past 4 billion years
if too high: life on Earth will be exposed to deadly radiation or orbit of Earth will be disturbed
gamma-ray burst events
if too few: not enough production of copper, scandium, titanium, and zinc
if too many: too many mass extinction events
cosmic ray luminosity of Milky Way Galaxy:
if too low: not enough production of boron
if too high: life spans for advanced life too short; too much destruction of planet’s ozone layer
air turbulence in troposphere
if too low: inadequate formation of water droplets
if too great: rainfall distribution will be too uneven
primordial cosmic superwinds
if too low of an intensity: inadequate star formation late in cosmic history
if too great of an intensity: inadequate star formation early in cosmic history
smoking quasars
if too few: inadequate primordial dust production for stimulating future star formation
if too many: early star formation will be too vigorous resulting in too few stars and planets being able to form late in cosmic history
quantity of phytoplankton
if too low; inadequate production of molecular oxygen and inadequate production of maritime sulfate aerosols (cloud condensation nuclei); inadequate consumption of carbon dioxide
if too great: too much cooling of sea surface waters and possibly too much reduction of ozone quantity in lower stratosphere; too much consumption of carbon dioxide
quantity of iodocarbon-emitting marine organisms
if too low: inadequate marine cloud cover; inadequate water cycling
if too great: too much marine cloud cover; too much cooling of Earth’s surface
mantle plume production
if too low: inadequate volcanic and island production rate
if too great: too much destruction and atmospheric disturbance from volcanic eruptions
quantity of magnetars (proto-neutron stars with very strong magnetic fields)
if too few during galaxy’s history: inadequate quantities of r-process elements are synthesized
if too many during galaxy’s history: too great a quantity of r-process elements are synthesized; too great of a high-energy cosmic ray production
frequency of gamma ray bursts in galaxy
if too low: inadequate production of copper, titanium, and zinc; insufficient hemisphere-wide mass extinction events
if too great: too much production of copper and zinc; too many hemisphere-wide mass extinction events
parent star magnetic field
if too low: solar wind and solar magnetosphere will not be adequate to thwart a significant amount of cosmic rays
if too great: too high of an x-ray flux will be generated
amount of outward migration of Neptune
if too low: total mass of Kuiper Belt objects will be too great; Kuiper Belt will be too close to the sun; Neptune’s orbit will not be circular enough and distant enough to guarantee long-term stability of inner solar system planets’ orbits
if too great: Kuiper Belt will be too distant and contain too little mass to play any significant role in contributing volatiles to life-support planet or to contributing to mass extinction events; Neptune will be too distant to play a role in contributing to the long-term stability of inner solar system planets’ orbits
Q-value (rigidity) of Earth during its early history
if too low: final obliquity of Earth becomes too high; rotational braking of Earth too low
if too great: final obliquity of Earth becomes too low; rotational braking of Earth is too great
parent star distance from galaxy’s corotation circle
if too close: a strong mean motion resonance will destabilize the parent star’s galactic orbit
if too far: planetary system will experience too many crossings of the spiral arms
average quantity of gas infused into the universe’s first star clusters
if too small: wind form supergiant stars in the clusters will blow the clusters apart which in turn will prevent or seriously delay the formation of galaxies
if too large: early star formation, black hole production, and galaxy formation will be too vigorous for spiral galaxies to persist long enough for the right kinds of stars and planets to form so that life will be possible
frequency of late impacts by large asteroids and comets
if too low: too few mass extinction events; inadequate rich ore deposits of ferrous and heavy metals
if too many: too many mass extinction events; too radical of disturbances of planet’s crust
level of supersonic turbulence in the infant universe
if too low: first stars will be of the wrong type and quantity to produce the necessary mix of elements, gas, and dust so that a future star and planetary system capable of supporting life will appear at the right time in cosmic history
if too high: first stars will be of the wrong type and quantity to produce the necessary mix of elements, gas, and dust so that a future star and planetary system capable of supporting life will appear at the right time in cosmic history
number density of the first metal-free stars to form in the universe
if too low: inadequate initial production of heavy elements and dust by these stars to foster the necessary future star formations that will lead to a possible life-support body
if too many: super winds blown out by these stars will prevent or seriously delay the formation of the kinds of galaxies that could possibly produce a future life-support body
size of the carbon sink in the deep mantle of the planet
if too small: carbon dioxide level in planet’s atmosphere will be too high
if too large: carbon dioxide level in planet’s atmosphere will be too low; biomass will be too small
rate of growth of central spheroid for the galaxy
if too small: inadequate flow of heavy elements into the spiral disk; inadequate outward drift of stars from the inner to the central portions of the spiral disk
if too large: inadequate spiral disk of late-born stars
amount of gas infalling into the central core of the galaxy
if too little: galaxy’s nuclear bulge becomes too large
if too much: galaxy’s nuclear bulge fails to become large enough
level of cooling of gas infalling into the central core of the galaxy
if too low: galaxy’s nuclear bulge becomes too large
if too high: galaxy’s nuclear bulge fails to become large enough
ratio of dual water molecules, (H2O)2, to single water molecules, H2O, in the troposphere
if too low: inadequate raindrop formation; inadequate rainfall
if too high: too uneven of a distribution of rainfall over planet’s surface
heavy element abundance in the intracluster medium for the early universe
if too low: too much star formation too early in cosmic history; no life-support body will ever form or it will form at the wrong tine and/or place
if too high: inadequate star formation early in cosmic history; no life-support body will ever form or it will form at the wrong tine and/or place
quantity of volatiles on and in Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone
if too low: inadequate ingredients for the support of life
if too high: no possibility for a means to compensate for luminosity changes in star
pressure of the intra-galaxy-cluster medium
if too low: inadequate star formation bursts in large galaxies
if too high: star formation burst activity in large galaxies is too aggressive, too frequent, and too early in cosmic history
level of spiral substructure in spiral galaxy
if too low: galaxy will not be old enough to sustain advanced life
if too high: gravitational chaos will disturb planetary system’s orbit about center of galaxy and thereby expose the planetary system to deadly radiation and/or disturbances by gas or dust clouds
mass of outer gas giant planet relative to inner gas giant planet
if greater than 50 percent: resonances will generate non-coplanar planetary orbits which will destabilize orbit of life-support planet
if less than 25 percent: mass of the inner gas giant planet necessary to adequately protect life-support planet from asteroidal and cometary collisions would be large enough to gravitationally disturb the orbit of the life-support planet
triggering of El Nino events by explosive volcanic eruptions
if too seldom: uneven rainfall distribution over continental land masses
if too frequent: uneven rainfall distribution over continental land masses; too much destruction by the volcanic events; drop in mean global surface temperature
time window between the peak of kerogen production and the appearance of intelligent life
if too short: inadequate time for geological and chemical processes to transform the kerogen into enough petroleum reserves to launch and sustain advanced civilization
if too long: too much of the petroleum reserves will be broken down by bacterial activity into methane
time window between the production of cisterns in the planet’s crust that can effectively collect and store petroleum and natural gas and the appearance of intelligent life
if too short: inadequate time for collecting and storing significant amounts of petroleum and natural gas
if too long: too many leaks form in the cisterns which lead to the dissipation of petroleum and gas
efficiency of flows of silicate melt, hypersaline hydrothermal fluids, and hydrothermal vapors in the upper crust
if too low: inadequate crystallization and precipitation of concentrated metal ores that can be exploited by intelligent life to launch civilization and technology
if too high: crustal environment becomes too unstable for the maintenance of civilization
quantity of dust formed in the ejecta of Population III supernovae
if too low: number and mass range of Population II stars will not be great enough for a life-support planet to form at the right time and place in the cosmos; Population II stars will not form soon enough after the appearance of Population III stars
if too high: Population II star formation will occur too soon and be too aggressive for a life-support planet to form at the right time and place in the cosmos
quantity and proximity of gamma-ray burst events relative to emerging solar nebula
if too few and too far: inadequate enrichment of solar nebula with copper, titanium, and zinc
if too many and too close: too much enrichment of solar nebula with copper and zinc; too much destruction of solar nebula
heat flow through the planet’s mantle from radiometric decay in planet’s core
if too low: mantle will be too viscous and, thus, mantle convection will not be vigorous enough to drive plate tectonics at the precise level to compensate for changes in star’s luminosity
if too high: mantle will not be viscous enough and, thus, mantle convection will be too vigorous resulting in too high of a level of plate tectonic activity to perfectly compensate for changes in star’s luminosity
water absorption by planet’s mantle
if too low: mantle will be too viscous and, thus, mantle convection will not be vigorous enough to drive plate tectonics at the precise level to compensate for changes in star’s luminosity
if too high: mantle will not be viscous enough and, thus, mantle convection will be too vigorous resulting in too high of a level of plate tectonic activity to perfectly compensate for changes in star’s luminosity
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