Plausible Constraints on the Range of Bulk Terrestrial Exoplanet Compositions in the Solar Neighborhood

  • Rob J. Spaargaren
  • , Haiyang S. Wang
  • , Stephen J. Mojzsis
  • , Maxim D. Ballmer
  • , Paul J. Tackley

Veröffentlichungen: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelPeer Reviewed

Abstract

Rocky planet compositions regulate planetary evolution by affecting core sizes, mantle properties, and melting behaviors. Yet, quantitative treatments of this aspect of exoplanet studies remain generally underexplored. We attempt to constrain the range of potential bulk terrestrial exoplanet compositions in the solar neighborhood (<200 pc). We circumscribe probable rocky exoplanet compositions based on a population analysis of stellar chemical abundances from the Hypatia and GALAH catalogs. We apply a devolatilization model to simulate compositions of hypothetical, terrestrial-type exoplanets in the habitable zones around Sun-like stars, considering elements O, S, Na, Si, Mg, Fe, Ni, Ca, and Al. We further apply core-mantle differentiation by assuming constant oxygen fugacity, and model the consequent mantle mineralogy with a Gibbs energy minimization algorithm. We report statistics on several compositional parameters and propose a reference set of (21) representative planet compositions for use as end-member compositions in imminent modeling and experimental studies. We find a strong correlation between stellar Fe/Mg and metallic-core sizes, which can vary from 18 to 35 wt%. Furthermore, stellar Mg/Si gives a first-order indication of mantle mineralogy, with high-Mg/Si stars leading to weaker, ferropericlase-rich mantles, and low-Mg/Si stars leading to mechanically stronger mantles. The element Na, which modulates crustal buoyancy and mantle clinopyroxene fraction, is affected by devolatilization the most. While we find that planetary mantles mostly consist of Fe/Mg silicates, the core sizes and relative abundances of common minerals can nevertheless vary significantly among exoplanets. These differences likely lead to different evolutionary pathways among rocky exoplanets in the solar neighborhood.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer53
Seitenumfang26
FachzeitschriftAstrophysical Journal
Jahrgang948
Ausgabenummer1
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 1 Mai 2023

Fördermittel

R.J.S. has been funded by ETH grant No. ETH-18 18-2. Contributions of H.S.W. have been carried out within the framework of the NCCR PlanetS supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under grant Nos. 51NF40_182901 and 51NF40_205606. S.J.M. extends a special thanks to C. Heubeck at the Institute for Earth Sciences at the Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena (Germany) and the A.v.Humboldt Foundation that provided support during the final writing of this manuscript. S.J.M. is supported by the Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences in Budapest (Hungary). The research shown here acknowledges use of the Hypatia Catalog Database, an online compilation of stellar abundance data as described in Hinkel et al. (2014), which was supported by NASA's Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS) research coordination network and the Vanderbilt Initiative in Data-Intensive Astrophysics (VIDA). This work also made use of the Second Data Release of the GALAH Survey (Buder et al. 2018). The GALAH Survey is based on data acquired through the Australian Astronomical Observatory, under programs A/2013B/13 (The GALAH pilot survey); A/2014A/25, A/2015A/19, A2017A/18 (The GALAH survey phase 1); A2018A/18 (Open clusters with HERMES); A2019A/1 (Hierarchical star formation in Ori OB1); A2019A/15 (The GALAH survey phase 2); A/2015B/19, A/2016A/22, A/2016B/10, A/2017B/16, A/2018B/15 (The HERMES-TESS program); and A/2015A/3, A/2015B/1, A/2015B/19, A/2016A/22, A/2016B/12, A/2017A/14 (The HERMES K2-follow-up program). We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which the AAT stands, the Gamilaraay people, and pay our respects to elders past and present. This paper includes data that have been provided by AAO Data Central (datacentral.org.au). R.J.S. has been funded by ETH grant No. ETH-18 18-2. Contributions of H.S.W. have been carried out within the framework of the NCCR PlanetS supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under grant Nos. 51NF40_182901 and 51NF40_205606. S.J.M. extends a special thanks to C. Heubeck at the Institute for Earth Sciences at the Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena (Germany) and the A.v.Humboldt Foundation that provided support during the final writing of this manuscript. S.J.M. is supported by the Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences in Budapest (Hungary). The research shown here acknowledges use of the Hypatia Catalog Database, an online compilation of stellar abundance data as described in Hinkel et al. (), which was supported by NASA's Nexus for Exoplanet System Science (NExSS) research coordination network and the Vanderbilt Initiative in Data-Intensive Astrophysics (VIDA). This work also made use of the Second Data Release of the GALAH Survey (Buder et al. ). The GALAH Survey is based on data acquired through the Australian Astronomical Observatory, under programs A/2013B/13 (The GALAH pilot survey); A/2014A/25, A/2015A/19, A2017A/18 (The GALAH survey phase 1); A2018A/18 (Open clusters with HERMES); A2019A/1 (Hierarchical star formation in Ori OB1); A2019A/15 (The GALAH survey phase 2); A/2015B/19, A/2016A/22, A/2016B/10, A/2017B/16, A/2018B/15 (The HERMES-TESS program); and A/2015A/3, A/2015B/1, A/2015B/19, A/2016A/22, A/2016B/12, A/2017A/14 (The HERMES K2-follow-up program). We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which the AAT stands, the Gamilaraay people, and pay our respects to elders past and present. This paper includes data that have been provided by AAO Data Central ( datacentral.org.au ).

ÖFOS 2012

  • 105105 Geochemie

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