[Paper Review] Tidal Effects of Passing Planets and Mass Extinctions

Daniele Fargion, Arnon Dar|arXiv (Cornell University)|Feb 20, 1998

Astro and Planetary Science4 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes that passing planetary-mass objects in the outer solar system could induce catastrophic tidal forces on Earth, triggering mass extinctions via global climate shifts, volcanic activity, and impact events. Using gravitational perturbation models, the authors suggest such planetary flybys may explain the timing of major extinction events over the past 600 million years.

ABSTRACT

Recent observations suggest that many planetary-mass objects may be present in the outer solar system between the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud. Gravitational perturbations may occasionally bring them into the inner solar system. Their passage near Earth could have generated gigantic tidal waves, large volcanic eruptions, sea regressions, large meteoritic impacts and drastic changes in global climate. They could have caused the major biological mass extinctions in the past 600 My as documented in the geological records.

Motivation & Objective

• To investigate whether planetary-mass objects in the outer solar system could induce tidal effects on Earth capable of triggering global catastrophes.
• To examine the timing and frequency of such planetary flybys in relation to documented mass extinction events in the geological record.
• To assess whether tidal forces from passing planets could explain the periodicity observed in major biological extinctions over the last 600 million years.
• To model the gravitational influence of distant planetary bodies on Earth's geophysical and climatic systems.
• To propose a mechanism linking interstellar or interplanetary planetary flybys to large-scale environmental disruptions and extinction events.

Proposed method

• Modeling gravitational perturbations from hypothetical planetary-mass objects in the outer solar system, particularly in the region between the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.
• Estimating tidal acceleration on Earth due to close flybys of such objects using Newtonian gravitational dynamics.
• Analyzing the resulting tidal forces for their potential to trigger seismic activity, volcanic outgassing, and atmospheric changes.
• Correlating the predicted timing of such close encounters with the fossil record of mass extinctions.
• Assessing the likelihood of such planetary encounters based on orbital mechanics and the distribution of unbound or weakly bound objects.
• Evaluating the climatic and geophysical consequences of extreme tidal stress on Earth’s crust and hydrosphere.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Could gravitational tidal forces from passing planetary-mass objects induce sufficient geophysical stress to trigger mass extinctions?
• RQ2 Is there a correlation between the timing of planetary flybys and known mass extinction events in the geological record?
• RQ3 What magnitude of tidal force would be required to cause global climate shifts, volcanic eruptions, and sea regressions?
• RQ4 How frequently might such planetary flybys occur, given the current distribution of objects in the outer solar system?
• RQ5 Can tidal effects from passing planets explain the observed periodicity in major extinction events over the last 600 million years?

Key findings

• The authors find that close flybys of planetary-mass objects could generate tidal forces strong enough to induce global seismic and volcanic activity.
• Tidal effects from such encounters may lead to significant climate changes, including global cooling or warming, due to atmospheric and oceanic disturbances.
• The model suggests that planetary flybys could explain the timing of several major mass extinctions documented in the fossil record over the past 600 million years.
• The study estimates that such events could occur with a periodicity matching the observed intervals between mass extinction events.
• The gravitational influence of passing planets may also trigger large-scale meteoritic impacts or sea regressions through crustal stress and mantle dynamics.
• The paper concludes that planetary perturbations in the outer solar system represent a plausible, though previously underappreciated, mechanism for large-scale extinction events.