Chemistry of Silicate Atmospheres of Evaporating Super-Earths

Details Chemistry of Silicate Atmospheres of Evaporating Super-Earths Chemistry of Silicate Atmospheres of Evaporating Super-Earths

2009-06-05

arxiv.org/abs/0906.1204v1

Astrophys.J.703:L113-L117,2009

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

18 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, submitted to ApJ Letters

Scientific paper

10.1088/0004-637X/703/2/L113

We model the formation of silicate atmospheres on hot volatile-free super-Earths. Our calculations assume that all volatile elements such as H, C, N, S, and Cl have been lost from the planet. We find that the atmospheres are composed primarily of Na, O2, O, and SiO gas, in order of decreasing abundance. The atmospheric composition may be altered by fractional vaporization, cloud condensation, photoionization, and reaction with any residual volatile elements remaining in the atmosphere. Cloud condensation reduces the abundance of all elements in the atmosphere except Na and K. We speculate that large Na and K clouds such as those observed around Mercury and Io may surround hot super-Earths. These clouds would occult much larger fractions of the parent star than a closely bound atmosphere, and may be observable through currently available methods.

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