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| Titel |
On the Mass-Radius Relation of Methane Planets |
| VerfasserIn |
Ravit Helled, Morris Podolak, Eran Vos |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2015
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 17 (2015) |
| Datensatznummer |
250103495
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2015-2905.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Knowledge of both the mass and radius of an exoplanet allows us to estimate its mean
density, and therefore, its composition. Exoplanets seem to fill a very large parameter space in
terms of mass and composition, and unlike the solar-system’s planets, exoplanets have
intermediate masses (~ 5-50 M/) with various densities. We investigate the behavior of
the Mass-Radius relation of methane (CH4) planets and show that when methane
planets are massive enough (the exact mass depends on dissociation pressure of
methane) the methane can dissociate and lead to a differentiated planet with a carbon
core, a methane envelope, and a hydrogen atmosphere. This leads to a kink in their
Mass-Radius relation. The contribution of a rocky core to the behavior of CH4 planets is
considered as well. In addition, we develop interior models for several detected
intermediate-mass planets that could, in principle, be methane-rich planets. The
example of methane planets emphasizes the caution one must take when inferring
the planetary composition from the Mass-Radius relation, and the importance of
temperature and an accurate equation of state when modeling planetary interiors . |
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