Journal
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
Volume 716, Issue 2, Pages 1208-1216Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/716/2/1208
Keywords
planetary systems; planets and satellites: general; stars: individual (GJ 1214)
Categories
Funding
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Ask authors/readers for more resources
We present an analysis of the bulk composition of the MEarth transiting super-Earth exoplanet GJ 1214b using planet interior structure models. We consider three possible origins for the gas layer on GJ 1214b: direct accretion of gas from the protoplanetary nebula, sublimation of ices, and outgassing from rocky material. Armed only with measurements of the planet mass (M-p = 6.55 +/- 0.98M(circle plus)), radius (R-p = 2.678 +/- 0.13R(circle plus)), and stellar irradiation level, our main conclusion is that we cannot infer a unique composition. A diverse range of planet interiors fits the measured planet properties. Nonetheless, GJ 1214b's relatively low average density (rho(p) = 1870 +/- 400 kgm(-3)) means that it almost certainly has a significant gas component. Our second major conclusion is that under most conditions we consider GJ 1214b would not have liquid water. Even if the outer envelope is predominantly sublimated water ice, the envelope will likely consist of a super-fluid layer sandwiched between vapor above and plasma (electrically conductive fluid) below at greater depths. In our models, a low intrinsic planet luminosity (less than or similar to 2TW) is needed for a water envelope on GJ 1214b to pass through the liquid phase.
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