Interior heating and outgassing of Proxima Cen b: Identification of critical parameters

Author(s):  
Lena Noack ◽  
Kristina Kislyakova ◽  
Colin Johnstone ◽  
Manuel Güdel ◽  
Luca Fossati

<p>Since the discovery of a potentially low-mass exoplanet around our nearest neighbour star Proxima Centauri, several works have investigated the likelihood of a shielding atmosphere and therefore the potential surface habitability of Proxima Cen b. However, outgassing processes are influenced by several different (unknown) factors such as the actual planet mass, mantle and core composition, and different heating mechanisms in the interior.<br>We aim to identify the critical parameters that influence the mantle and surface evolution of the planet over time, as well as to potentially constrain the time-dependent input of volatiles from mantle into the atmosphere.</p><p><br>To study the coupled star-planet evolution, we analyse the heating produced in the interior of Proxima Cen b due to induction heating, which strongly varies with both depth and latitude. We calculate different rotation evolutionary tracks for Proxima Centauri and investigate the change in its rotation period and magnetic field strength. Unlike the Sun, Proxima Centauri possesses a very strong magnetic field of at least a few hundred Gauss, which was likely higher in the past. <br>We apply an interior structure model for varying planet masses (derived from the unknown inclination of observation of the Proxima Centauri system) and iron weight fractions, i.e. different core sizes, in the range of observed Fe-Mg variations in the stellar spectrum. <br>We use a mantle convection model to study the thermal evolution and outgassing efficiency of Proxima Cen b. For unknown planetary parameters such as initial conditions we chose randomly selected values. We take into account heating in the interior due to variable radioactive heat sources and latitute- and radius-dependent induction heating, and compare the heating efficiency to tidal heating.</p><p><br>Our results show that induction heating may have been significant in the past, leading to local temperature increases of several hundreds of Kelvin (see Fig. 1). This early heating leads to an earlier depletion of the interior and volatile outgassing compared to if the planet would not have been subject to induction heating. We show that induction heating has an impact comparable to tidal heating when assuming latest estimates on its eccentricity. We furthermore find that the planet mass (linked to the planetary orbital inclination) has a first-order influence on the efficiency of outgassing from the interior.</p><p> </p><p><img src="https://contentmanager.copernicus.org/fileStorageProxy.php?f=gnp.53bcd48f2cff56572630161/sdaolpUECMynit/12UGE&app=m&a=0&c=314fe555893c77417d52bf9a6bd3825f&ct=x&pn=gnp.elif&d=1" alt="" width="307" height="339"> </p><p>Fig 1: Local induction heating and resulting temperature variations compared to a simulation without induction heating after 1 Gyr of thermal evolution for an example rocky planet of 1.8 Earth masses with an iron content of 20 wt-%.</p>

2020 ◽  
Vol 636 ◽  
pp. L10
Author(s):  
Kristina Kislyakova ◽  
Lena Noack

Aims. We investigate possible driving mechanisms of volcanic activity on rocky super-Earths with masses exceeding 3–4 M⊕. Due to high gravity and pressures in the mantles of these planets, melting in deep mantle layers can be suppressed, even if the energy release due to tidal heating and radioactive decay is substantial. Here we investigate whether a newly identified heating mechanism, namely induction heating by the star’s magnetic field, can drive volcanic activity on these planets due to its unique heating pattern in the very upper part of the mantle. In this region the pressure is not yet high enough to preclude the melt formation. Methods. Using the super-Earth HD 3167b as an example, we calculate induction heating in the planet’s interiors assuming an electrical conductivity profile typical of a hot rocky planet and a moderate stellar magnetic field typical of an old inactive star. Then we use a mantle convection code (CHIC) to simulate the evolution of volcanic outgassing with time. Results. We show that although in most cases volcanic outgassing on HD 3167b is not very significant in the absence of induction heating, including this heating mechanism changes the picture and leads to a substantial increase in the outgassing from the planet’s mantle. This result shows that induction heating combined with a high surface temperature is capable of driving volcanism on massive super-Earths, which has important observational implications.


1976 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 135-135
Author(s):  
Leif Svalgaard ◽  
John M. Wilcox

The large-scale structure of the solar magnetic field during the past five sunspot cycles (representing by implication a much longer interval of time) has been investigated using the polarity (toward or away from the Sun) of the interplanetary magnetic field as inferred from polar geomagnetic observations. The polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field has previously been shown to be closely related to the polarity (into or out of the Sun) of the large-scale solar magnetic field. It appears that a solar structure with four sectors per rotation persisted through the past five sunspot cycles, with a synodic rotation period near 27.0 days, and a small relative westward drift during the first half of each sunspot cycle and a relative eastward drift during the second half of each cycle. Superposed on this four-sector structure there is another structure with inward field polarity, a width in solar longitude of about 100° and a synodic rotation period of about 28 to 29 days. This 28.5 day structure is usually most prominent during a few years near sunspot maximum. Some preliminary comparisons of these observed solar structures with theoretical considerations are given.


1987 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158
Author(s):  
D. A. H. Buckley ◽  
I. R. Tuohy

AbstractWe report spectroscopic and photometric observations of the new DQ Hercuis system 1H0542-407, recently discovered by us to be the optical counterpart of a HEAO-1 X-ray source. Medium resolution spectroscopy using the AAT in the region λ3930 to λ4960 conducted over consecutive nights shows radial velocity variations at periods of ∼ 1910 s, consistent with the white dwarf rotation period, and 5.7 h, in agreement with the orbital period derived from our EXOSAT observations. The K semi-amplitude velocities are ∼ 50 and 20 km s-1 respectively, leading to a mass function f(M) = 3.3 ± 0.6 × 10-3M⊙ and an orbital inclination close to 20°. The emission line profiles are characterized by simple Gaussians whose FWHM vary at the rotation period. A time series analysis of high resolution photometry conducted on the ANU 2.3 metre telescope reveals the presence of several periodicities, including the orbital sidebands. The dominant sideband (Vr − Vo) arises from X-rays reprocessed in a region corotating at the orbital frequency. A model is developed for 1H0542-407 which indicates that the accretion disk is disrupted at ∼5Rwd by the primary’s magnetic field. The short period velocity variations arise within the magnetosphere. A white dwarf magnetic field strength of < ∼ 3 MG is implied.


1976 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 613-622
Author(s):  
I.A. Aslanov ◽  
Yu.S. Rustamov

SummaryMeasurements of the radial velocities and magnetic field strength of β CrB were carried out. It is shown that there is a variability with the rotation period different for various elements. The curve of the magnetic field variation measured from lines of 5 different elements: FeI, CrI, CrII, TiII, ScII and CaI has a complex shape specific for each element. This may be due to the presence of magnetic spots on the stellar surface. A comparison with the radial velocity curves suggests the presence of a least 4 spots of Ti and Cr coinciding with magnetic spots. A change of the magnetic field with optical depth is shown. The curve of the Heffvariation with the rotation period is given. A possibility of secular variations of the magnetic field is shown.


Author(s):  
J. Gaudestad ◽  
V. Talanov ◽  
A. Orozco ◽  
M. Marchetti

Abstract In the past couple years, Space Domain Reflectometry (SDR) has become a mainstream method to locate open defects among the major semiconductor manufacturers. SDR injects a radio frequency (RF) signal into the open trace creating a standing wave with a node at the open location. The magnetic field generated by the standing wave is imaged with a SQUID sensor using RF electronics. In this paper, we show that SDR can be used to non-destructively locate high resistance failures in Micro LeadFrame Packages (MLP).


2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Swati Baruah ◽  
U. Sarma ◽  
R. Ganesh

Lane formation dynamics in externally driven pair-ion plasma (PIP) particles is studied in the presence of external magnetic field using Langevin dynamics (LD) simulation. The phase diagram obtained distinguishing the no-lane and lane states is systematically determined from a study of various Coulomb coupling parameter values. A peculiar lane formation-disintegration parameter space is identified; lane formation area extended to a wide range of Coulomb coupling parameter values is observed before disappearing to a mixed phase. The different phases are identified by calculating the order parameter. This and the critical parameters are calculated directly from LD simulation. The critical electric field strength value above which the lanes are formed distinctly is obtained, and it is observed that in the presence of the external magnetic field, the PIP system requires a higher value of the electric field strength to enter into the lane formation state than that in the absence of the magnetic field. We further find out the critical value of electric field frequency beyond which the system exhibits a transition back to the disordered state and this critical frequency is found as an increasing function of the electric field strength in the presence of an external magnetic field. The movement of the lanes is also observed in a direction perpendicular to that of the applied electric and magnetic field directions, which reveals the existence of the electric field drift in the system under study. We also use an oblique force field as the external driving force, both in the presence and absence of the external magnetic field. The application of this oblique force changes the orientation of the lane structures for different applied oblique angle values.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 586
Author(s):  
Che-Jui Chang ◽  
Jean-Fu Kiang

Strong flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), launched from δ-sunspots, are the most catastrophic energy-releasing events in the solar system. The formations of δ-sunspots and relevant polarity inversion lines (PILs) are crucial for the understanding of flare eruptions and CMEs. In this work, the kink-stable, spot-spot-type δ-sunspots induced by flux emergence are simulated, under different subphotospheric initial conditions of magnetic field strength, radius, twist, and depth. The time evolution of various plasma variables of the δ-sunspots are simulated and compared with the observation data, including magnetic bipolar structures, relevant PILs, and temperature. The simulation results show that magnetic polarities display switchbacks at a certain stage and then split into numerous fragments. The simulated fragmentation phenomenon in some δ-sunspots may provide leads for future observations in the field.


1987 ◽  
Vol 92 ◽  
pp. 82-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. T. Bolton ◽  
A. W. Fullerton ◽  
D. Bohlender ◽  
J. D. Landstreet ◽  
D. R. Gies

Over the past two years, we have obtained high resolution high signal/noise (S/N) spectra of the magnetic Be star σ Ori E at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and McDonald Observatory. These spectra, which cover the spectral regions 399-417.5 and 440-458.5 nm and the Hα line and have typical S/N>200 and spectral resolution ≃0.02 nm, were obtained at a variety of rotational phases in order to study the magnetic field structure, the distribution of elements in the photosphere, and the effects of the magnetic field on the emission envelope. Our analysis of these spectra confirms, refines and extends the results obtained by Landstreet & Borra (1978), Groote & Hunger (1982 and references therein), and Nakajima (1985).The Hα emission is usually double-peaked, but it undergoes remarkable variations with the 1.19081 d rotational period of the star, which show that the emitting gas is localized into two regions which co-rotate with the star.


2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Cuartas-Restrepo

Abstract This work seeks to summarize some special aspects of a type of exoplanets known as super-Earths (SE), and the direct influence of these aspects in their habitability. Physical processes like the internal thermal evolution and the generation of a protective Planetary Magnetic Field (PMF) are directly related with habitability. Other aspects such as rotation and the formation of a solid core are fundamental when analyzing the possibilities that a SE would have to be habitable. This work analyzes the fundamental theoretical aspects on which the models of thermal evolution and the scaling laws of the planetary dynamos are based. These theoretical aspects allow to develop models of the magnetic evolution of the planets and the role played by the PMF in the protection of the atmosphere and the habitability of the planet.


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