Roger Fu et al. 2010 ApJ 708 1326 doi:10.1088/0004-637X/708/2/1326
Roger Fu1,3, Richard J. O'Connell1 and Dimitar D. Sasselov2
Show affiliationsThe ever-expanding catalog of detected super-Earths calls for theoretical studies of their properties in the case of a substantial water layer. This work considers such water planets with a range of masses and water mass fractions (2-5 M Earth, 0.02%-50% H2O). First, we model the thermal and dynamical structure of the near-surface for icy and oceanic surfaces, finding separate regimes where the planet is expected to maintain a subsurface liquid ocean and where it is expected to exhibit ice tectonics. Newly discovered exoplanets may be placed into one of these regimes given estimates of surface temperature, heat flux, and gravity. Second, we construct a parameterized convection model for the underlying ice mantle of higher ice phases, finding that materials released from the silicate-iron core should traverse the ice mantle on the timescale of 0.1 to 100 megayears. We present the dependence of the overturn times of the ice mantle and the planetary radius on total mass and water mass fraction. Finally, we discuss the implications of these internal processes on atmospheric observables.
Issue 2 (2010 January 10)
Received 2009 July 2, accepted for publication 2009 November 10
Published 2009 December 22
Roger Fu et al. 2010 ApJ 708 1326
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