What causes the Habitable Zone to slowly migrate outward over cosmic time?
Answer
Increase in stellar luminosity as stars age
The phenomenon known as HZ drift describes the dynamic shifting of the habitable zone over deep time, primarily driven by the evolution of the host star. As stars age, their internal processes cause them to become gradually brighter and hotter, increasing their luminosity output. For instance, the Sun is predicted to become significantly brighter over the next billion years. This increased energy output means that the orbital radius necessary to maintain liquid water must also increase. Consequently, the entire habitable zone slowly expands outward, potentially warming a planet previously locked in ice, while rendering worlds that were once habitable too hot.
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