Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 0710.0699

Inevitability of Plate Tectonics on Super-Earths

Diana Valencia·Richard J. O'Connell·Dimitar D. Sasselov
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

The recent discovery of super-Earths (masses less or equal to 10 earth-masses) 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 one earth-mass regime disappear as mass increases: super-Earths, even if dry, will exhibit plate tectonic behaviour.

Explore related subjects

astro-ph

Keep this discovery

BibTeXRIS

Diana Valencia, Richard J. O'Connell, Dimitar D. Sasselov. 2007-10-03. Inevitability of Plate Tectonics on Super-Earths. https://doi.org/10.1086/524012

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2010

Circumstellar water vapour in M-type AGB stars: Radiative transfer models, abundances and predictions for HIFI

Aims: By performing a detailed radiative transfer analysis, we determine fractional abundances of circumstellar H2O in the envelopes around six M-type asymptotic giant branch stars. The models are also used to predict H2O spectral line emission for the upcoming Herschel/HIFI mission. Methods: We use Infrared space observatory long wavelength spectrometer spectra to constrain the circumstellar fractional abundance distribution of ortho-H2O, using a non-local thermal equilibrium, and non-local, radiative transfer code based on the accelerated lambda iteration formalism. The mass-loss rates and kinetic temperature structures for the sample stars are determined through radiative transfer modelling of CO line emission based on the Monte-Carlo method. The density and temperature profiles of the circumstellar dust grains are determined through spectral energy distribution modelling using the publicly available code Dusty. Results: The determined ortho-H2O abundances lie between 1e-4 and 1.5e-3 relative to H2, with the exception of WX Psc, which has a much lower estimated ortho-H2O abundance of only 2e-6, possibly indicating H_2O adsorption onto dust grains or recent mass-loss-rate modulations. The estimated abundances are uncertain by, at best, a factor of a few. Conclusions: The high water abundance found for the majority of the sources suggests that either the `normal' chemical processes are very effective in producing H2O, or else non-local thermal equilibrium atmospheric chemistry, grain surface reactions, or a release of H_2O (e.g. from icy bodies like Kuiper belt objects) play a role. We provide predictions for ortho-H2O lines in the spectral window of Herschel/HIFI.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2010

CMB Anisotropies and Inflation from Non-Standard Spinors

The apparent alignment of the cosmic microwave background multipoles on large scales challenges the standard cosmological model. Scalar field inflation is isotropic and cannot account for the observed alignment. We explore the imprints, a non-standard spinor driven inflation would leave on the cosmic microwave background anisotropies. We show it is natural to expect an anisotropic inflationary expansion of the Universe which has the effect of suppressing the low multipole amplitude of the primordial power spectrum, while at the same time to provide the usual inflationary features.

astro-ph↗