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Title: EFFECTS OF STELLAR FLUX ON TIDALLY LOCKED TERRESTRIAL PLANETS: DEGREE-1 MANTLE CONVECTION AND LOCAL MAGMA PONDS

Abstract

We model the geodynamical evolution of super-Earth exoplanets in synchronous rotation about their star. While neglecting the effects of a potential atmosphere, we explore the parameter spaces of both the Rayleigh number and intensity of incoming stellar flux, and identify two main stages of mantle convection evolution. The first is a transient stage in which a lithospheric temperature and thickness dichotomy emerges between the substellar and the antistellar hemispheres, while the style of mantle convection is dictated by the Rayleigh number. The second stage is the development of degree-1 mantle convection. Depending on mantle properties, the timescale of onset of this second stage of mantle evolution varies from order 1 to 100 billion years of simulated planetary evolution. Planets with higher Rayleigh numbers (due to, for instance, larger planetary radii than the Earth) and planets whose incoming stellar flux is high (likely for most detectable exoplanets) will develop degree-1 mantle convection most quickly, on the order of 1 billion years, which is within the age of many planetary systems. Surface temperatures range from 220 K to 830 K, implying the possibility of liquid water in some regions near the surface. These results are discussed in the context of stable moltenmore » magma ponds on hotter planets, and the habitability of super-Earths which may lie outside the Habitable Zone.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351310, Seattle, WA 98195 (United States)
  2. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21578428
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 735; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/735/2/72; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; CONVECTION; MAGMA; PLANETS; SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION; STARS; ENERGY TRANSFER; EVOLUTION; HEAT TRANSFER; MASS TRANSFER

Citation Formats

Gelman, S E, Elkins-Tanton, L T, and Seager, S. EFFECTS OF STELLAR FLUX ON TIDALLY LOCKED TERRESTRIAL PLANETS: DEGREE-1 MANTLE CONVECTION AND LOCAL MAGMA PONDS. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/735/2/72.
Gelman, S E, Elkins-Tanton, L T, & Seager, S. EFFECTS OF STELLAR FLUX ON TIDALLY LOCKED TERRESTRIAL PLANETS: DEGREE-1 MANTLE CONVECTION AND LOCAL MAGMA PONDS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/735/2/72
Gelman, S E, Elkins-Tanton, L T, and Seager, S. 2011. "EFFECTS OF STELLAR FLUX ON TIDALLY LOCKED TERRESTRIAL PLANETS: DEGREE-1 MANTLE CONVECTION AND LOCAL MAGMA PONDS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/735/2/72.
@article{osti_21578428,
title = {EFFECTS OF STELLAR FLUX ON TIDALLY LOCKED TERRESTRIAL PLANETS: DEGREE-1 MANTLE CONVECTION AND LOCAL MAGMA PONDS},
author = {Gelman, S E and Elkins-Tanton, L T and Seager, S},
abstractNote = {We model the geodynamical evolution of super-Earth exoplanets in synchronous rotation about their star. While neglecting the effects of a potential atmosphere, we explore the parameter spaces of both the Rayleigh number and intensity of incoming stellar flux, and identify two main stages of mantle convection evolution. The first is a transient stage in which a lithospheric temperature and thickness dichotomy emerges between the substellar and the antistellar hemispheres, while the style of mantle convection is dictated by the Rayleigh number. The second stage is the development of degree-1 mantle convection. Depending on mantle properties, the timescale of onset of this second stage of mantle evolution varies from order 1 to 100 billion years of simulated planetary evolution. Planets with higher Rayleigh numbers (due to, for instance, larger planetary radii than the Earth) and planets whose incoming stellar flux is high (likely for most detectable exoplanets) will develop degree-1 mantle convection most quickly, on the order of 1 billion years, which is within the age of many planetary systems. Surface temperatures range from 220 K to 830 K, implying the possibility of liquid water in some regions near the surface. These results are discussed in the context of stable molten magma ponds on hotter planets, and the habitability of super-Earths which may lie outside the Habitable Zone.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/735/2/72},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21578428}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 2,
volume = 735,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2011},
month = {Sun Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2011}
}