Inhomogeneous Planet Evolution: Extending the MESA Stellar Evolution Code

Details Inhomogeneous Planet Evolution: Extending the MESA Stellar Evolution Code Inhomogeneous Planet Evolution: Extending the MESA Stellar Evolution Code

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2702m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #27.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.1060

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

Motivation: Inhomogeneous planet evolution codes are necessary for modeling the coupling between composition gradients, the planet's structure, and the evolution. The composition profile can affect structural properties and energy transport properties of the planet. If the planet has a stabilizing mean molecular weight gradient opposing an unstable entropy gradient, then the interior may have many convective layers separated by thin diffusive zones. This may significantly decrease the efficiency of convection. These composition gradients may arise because of core erosion or Helium immiscibility. This may be useful for understanding observables such as the radii, luminosity or gravitational moments of giant planets both inside and outside of our solar system.
Action: To study these types of problems, we are extending the modular open source stellar evolution software,MESA, to the giant planet regime to perform inhomogeneous planet evolution. We have extended the equation of state and opacity tables of MESA to include substances such as ices, rocks or metals using ANEOS tables. Model planet atmosphere grids are substituted to determine planet luminosities. Here, we present our first inhomogeneous planet evolution results. Consistent with the MESA philosophy, these planet modules will eventually be open source and freely available.

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