The Potential for Archaeology Within and Beyond the Habitable Zones (HZ) of the Milky Way

Abstract

As archaeology is established on Earth and we are actively exploring the Solar System and beyond, there is the potential to develop a number of forms of exo-archaeology. The archaeology of the things intelligent species do in theory could be practised anywhere, provided one can detect the evidence. Sites are being created by us elsewhere within our star's habitable zone (HZ), namely on the Moon and Mars, and at least molecular traces of human-created probes are being left beyond the HZ (Venus, Jupiter etc.). The successful detection of extrasolar planets and the possible identification of HZs round other stars raise the possibility for the development of extrasolar archaeology, at least initially by remote sensing techniques. Within the Milky Way the main region to investigate is the galactic habitable zone (GHZ), though there could be archaeological traces of technological behaviours beyond it.