Journal
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Volume 670, Issue 1, Pages L45-L48Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1086/524012
Keywords
earth; planetary systems; planets and satellites : general
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The recent discovery of super-Earths (masses <= 10 M(circle plus)) has initiated a discussion about conditions for habitable worlds. Among these is the mode of convection, which influences a planet's thermal evolution and surface conditions. On Earth, plate tectonics has been proposed as a necessary condition for life. Here we show that super-Earths will also have plate tectonics. We demonstrate that as planetary mass increases, the shear stress available to overcome resistance to plate motion increases while the plate thickness decreases, thereby enhancing plate weakness. These effects contribute favorably to the subduction of the lithosphere, an essential component of plate tectonics. Moreover, uncertainties in achieving plate tectonics in the 1 M(circle plus) regime disappear as mass increases: super-Earths, even if dry, will exhibit plate tectonic behavior.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available