Cradle of life

Abstract

Craddle of Life" is one of the key science drivers of the Square Kilometer Array, and explores the complex processes by which the conditions for life, and life itself, may become possible in the Universe. Of particular interest in this topic are the issues of planet formation via protostellar disk fragmentation and the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. On planet formation, the SKA, thanks to its very large sensitivity and resolution, will be the first instrument to spatially resolve the signatures of dust growth in the crucial mm and cm regime, providing important clues on the first stages in the build up of planetesimals. By working near its high-frequency end, the SKA is also expected to provide direct views of the process by which recently formed giant planets interact with the disk and open gaps of material via tidal forces. Time series of disk images may provide the first ever movies of planetary systems in formation, and should allow to follow the motion of disk asymmetries and tidal-induced spiral waves as the newly formed (and invisible) planets rotate around the star. In the field of SETI, the SKA will bring a two orders of magnitude sensitivity improvement. It will not only increase the distance at which emitting civilizations could be detected, but will open for the first time the possibility of detecting unintentional emissions leaked by terrestrial analogs of TV signals and airport radars towards hundreds of stars in the solar vicinity.