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Leon Sereinig

Publications and source records attributed to Leon Sereinig.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

SCoRE: the Surface Composition of Rocky Exoplanets

Context. The crust composition of rocky exoplanets with a substantial atmosphere can not be observed directly. However, recent developments are starting to allow for the observation and characterisation of their atmospheres. Understanding the link between atmospheres and crusts could allow for constraints on the crusts' composition based on atmospheric observations. Aims. We aim to understand the link between the thermal stability of specific condensates and atmospheric compositions. This allows constraints on the mineralogical composition of the surface by potentially observable atmospheric features. In order to achieve this, a grid study of atmospheric and crustal compositions is conducted. Methods. We use a diverse range of total element abundances inspired by various rock compositions as the compositional base for our crust-atmosphere models, for which thermo-chemical and phase equilibrium is assumed. In this work, we investigate a temperature range of 500 K to 1000 K and a surface pressure of 1 bar. The resulting atmospheric compositions are classified using atmospheric types based on the most abundant gas-phase elements C, H, N, O, and S. Results. Some of the changes in surface mineralogy coincide with changes in atmospheric type, independent of the given total elemental abundances. In total, a link has been revealed between 23 thermally stable minerals and their corresponding atmospheric types, which is independent of the ratio of the refractory elements present. Especially, the sulphur chemistry of the minerals and the average iron oxidation state can be constrained by the corresponding atmospheric type.

astro-ph.EP

The atmospheres of rocky exoplanets III. Using atmospheric spectra to constrain surface rock composition

Context. The crust composition of rocky exoplanets with a substantial atmosphere can not be observed directly. However, recent developments start to allow the observation and characterisation of their atmospheres. Aims. We aim to establish a link between the observable spectroscopic atmospheric features and the mineralogical crust composition of exoplanets. This allows to constrain the surface composition just by observing transit spectra. Methods. We use a diverse set of total element abundances inspired by various rock compositions, Earth, Venus, and CI chondrite as a basis for our bottom-to-top atmospheric model. We assume thermal and chemical equilibrium between the atmosphere and the planetary surface. Based on the atmospheric models in hydrostatic and chemical equilibrium with the inclusion of element depletion due to cloud formation theoretical transit spectra are calculated. Results. The atmospheric type classification allows constraints on the surface mineralogy especially with respect to sulphur compounds, iron oxides and iron hydroxides, feldspars, silicates and carbon species. Spectral features provide the possibility to differentiate the atmospheric types and thus allow some constraints on the surface composition.

astro-ph.EP