THE TIDAL EFFECTS OF OORT CLOUD

The tidal effects of the Oort cloud can lead to the occurrence of a number astronomical and global events. The tides are usually generated and propagated whenever the cloud comes into close encounters with spiral arms or other gravitational phenomena such as the molecular clouds. The result is expulsion of objects like comets from the Oort cloud into the inner solar system.

In some cases, the comets usually find themselves on a collision course with planets on the solar system. One of them being Earth. When a comet bombards or explodes on the Earth surface, there can be massive geological consequences and in extreme cases extinction of certain life forms or species.

The main effect of the tides on Oort cloud is the ejection of the comets into the planetary due to the gravitational forces that act upon them. Comets contain essential chemical substances, gases and organic material. They have been credited to be the pioneers of life on Earth (Hollinger, 2016). On the other hand, extinction of some species on planet have also been associated with comets.

The tidal effects of the Oort cloud are also responsible for lithopanspermia, which is the transfer of organisms or organic material from one planet to another using rock (Hollinger, 2016). This happens whenever a comet from the Oort cloud bombards a planet with such force until material or rock   containing organisms, in the case of a planet with life, is thrown into space. The rock can travel through space and take the life form to another planet or system.

REFERENCES

Hollinger, M. (2016). Life from Elsewhere-Early History of the Maverick Theory of Panspermia. Sudhoffs Archiv, 188-205.

 

Angelina's Note:

Blog (5 out of 6) for my Astronomy Class with Professor Micheal Marks.

Bristol Community College, Fall River MA  Fall/Winter 2018

Major: Graphic Design



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