New research indicates that material from the Alpha Centauri (AC) star system, our nearest stellar neighbor, may have reached our solar system. The study, published in The Planetary Science Journal, examines the potential for interstellar material delivery from AC, which is moving toward our solar system at approximately 22 km/s.
Researchers Cole Greg and Paul Wiegert from the University of Western Ontario conducted simulations over 110 million years, tracking the ejection of over one million particles from AC. The results suggest that while only a small fraction (~0.03%) of ejected material comes close to the sun, there are plausible pathways for particles larger than 10 microns to reach our system.
The study estimates that roughly 10 particles larger than 100 meters in diameter from AC are currently within our Oort Cloud. However, the likelihood of detecting these objects within 10 AU of the sun is minimal. The research also indicates that approximately 10 particles from AC may become detectable meteors in Earth's atmosphere, with this number potentially increasing in the next 28,000 years.
This research highlights the interconnectedness of stellar systems and suggests that material exchange is possible. If Alpha Centauri hosts exoplanets, some of the material reaching our solar system could originate from the same source as those planets, potentially providing insights into their formation and composition.