Long-term astrophysical processes

As we take a longer-term view of our future, a host of astrophysical processes are waiting to unfold as the Earth, the Sun, the Galaxy, and the Universe grow increasingly older. The basic astronomical parameters that describe our universe have now been measured with compelling precision. Recent observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation show that the spatial geometry of our universe is flat (Spergel et al., 2003). Independent measurements of the red-shift versus distance relation using Type Ia supernovae indicate that the universe is accelerating and apparently contains a substantial component of dark vacuum energy (Garnavich et al., 1998; Perlmutter et al., 1999; Riess et al., 1998). This newly consolidated cosmological model represents an important milestone in our understanding of the cosmos. With the cosmological parameters relatively well known, the future evolution of our universe can now be predicted with some degree of confidence (Adams and Laughlin, 1997). Our best astronomical data imply that our universe will expand forever or at least live long enough for a diverse collection of astronomical events to play themselves out. Other chapters in this book have discussed some sources of cosmic intervention that can affect life on our planet, including asteroid and comet impacts (Chapter 11, this volume) and nearby supernova explosions with their accompanying gamma-rays (Chapter 12, this volume). In the longerterm future, the chances of these types of catastrophic events will increase. In addition, taking an even longer-term view, we find that even more fantastic events could happen in our cosmological future. This chapter outlines some of the astrophysical events that can affect life, on our planet and perhaps elsewhere, over extremely long time scales, including those that vastly exceed the current age of the universe. These projections are based on our current understanding of astronomy and the laws of physics, which offer a firm and developing framework for understanding the future of the physical universe (this topic is sometimes called Physical Eschatology – see the review of ćirković, 2003). Notice that as we delve deeper into the future, the uncertainties of our projections must necessarily grow.