Super-Earths are planets that range from 2-10 times the mass of the Earth, and with radii up to twice as large as our planet. A number of super-Earths have been identified around distant stars, but scientists have yet to determine if any of these planets could be habitable for life as we know it.

The first step in identifying a habitable super-Earth is to check and see if it has a stable, long-term orbit that sits within the habitable zone of its star. Astronomers have found a few planets that could fit this description. However, in order to truly determine their habitability, astrobiologists must also determine characteristics of the planets’ dynamics and climate.

Nader Haghighipour, member of the NASA Astrobiology Institute’s team at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, recently published a review of the current state of research concerning the formation and evolution of super-Earths. The study discusses how our current knowledge can be applied to understanding super-Earth habitability.

The paper, “The Formation and Dynamics of Super-Earth Planets,” was published in the Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Vol. 4, pages 469-495.