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A Maximum Radius for Habitable Planets.
Journal article

A Maximum Radius for Habitable Planets.

  • Alibert Y Center for Space and Habitability, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland, yann.alibert@space.unibe.ch.
  • 2015-07-11
Published in:
  • Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere : the journal of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life. - 2015
Evolution, Planetary
Exobiology
Extraterrestrial Environment
Ice
Models, Theoretical
Origin of Life
Planets
Pressure
Temperature
English We compute the maximum radius a planet can have in order to fulfill two constraints that are likely necessary conditions for habitability: 1- surface temperature and pressure compatible with the existence of liquid water, and 2- no ice layer at the bottom of a putative global ocean, that would prevent the operation of the geologic carbon cycle to operate. We demonstrate that, above a given radius, these two constraints cannot be met: in the Super-Earth mass range (1-12 Mearth), the overall maximum that a planet can have varies between 1.8 and 2.3 Rearth. This radius is reduced when considering planets with higher Fe/Si ratios, and taking into account irradiation effects on the structure of the gas envelope.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/178285
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