Stephen Mojzsis

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Mojzsis

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Stephen

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0000-0003-0000-125X

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Publications 1 - 9 of 9

Plausible constraints on the range of bulk terrestrial exoplanet compositions in the Solar neighbourhood
Spaargaren, Rob J.; Wang, Haiyang; Mojzsis, Stephen; et al. (2022)
arXiv
Rocky planet compositions regulate planetary evolution by affecting core sizes, mantle properties, and melting behaviours. Yet, quantitative treatments of this aspect of exoplanet studies remain generally under-explored. We attempt to constrain the range of potential bulk terrestrial exoplanet compositions in the solar neighbourhood (<200 pc). We circumscribe probable rocky exoplanet compositions based on a population analysis of stellar chemical abundances from the Hypatia and GALAH catalogues. We apply a devolatilization model to simulate compositions of hypothetical, terrestrial-type exoplanets in the habitable zones around Sun-like stars, considering elements O, S, Na, Si, Mg, Fe, Ni, Ca, and Al. We further apply core-mantle differentiation by assuming constant oxygen fugacity, and model the consequent mantle mineralogy with a Gibbs energy minimisation algorithm. We report statistics on several compositional parameters and propose a reference set of (21) representative planet compositions for using as end-member compositions in imminent modelling and experimental studies. We find a strong correlation between stellar Fe/Mg and metallic core sizes, which can vary from 18 to 35 wt%. Furthermore, stellar Mg/Si gives a first-order indication of mantle mineralogy, with high-Mg/Si stars leading to weaker, ferropericlase-rich mantles, and low-Mg/Si stars leading to mechanically stronger mantles. The element Na, which modulates crustal buoyancy and mantle clinopyroxene fraction, is affected by devolatilization the most. While we find that planetary mantles mostly consist of Fe/Mg-silicates, core sizes and relative abundances of common minerals can nevertheless vary significantly among exoplanets. These differences likely lead to different evolutionary pathways among rocky exoplanets in the solar neighbourhood.
Detailed chemical compositions of planet-hosting stars – II. Exploration of the interiors of terrestrial-type exoplanets
Wang, Haiyang S.; Quanz, Sascha Patrick; Yong, David; et al. (2022)
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
A major goal in the discovery and characterization of exoplanets is to identify terrestrial-type worlds that are similar to (or otherwise distinct from) our Earth. Recent results underscore the importance of applying devolatilization – i.e. depletion of volatiles – to the chemical composition of planet-hosting stars to constrain bulk composition and interiors of terrestrial-type exoplanets. In this work, we apply such an approach to a selected sample of 13 planet-hosting Sun-like stars, for which high-precision photospheric abundances have been determined in the first paper of the series. With the resultant devolatilized stellar composition (i.e. the model planetary bulk composition), as well as other constraints including mass and radius, we model the detailed mineralogy and interior structure of hypothetical, habitable-zone terrestrial planets (‘exo-Earths’) around these stars. Model output shows that most of these exo-Earths are expected to have broadly Earth-like composition and interior structure, consistent with conclusions derived independently from analysis of polluted white dwarfs. Exceptions are the Kepler-10 and Kepler-37 exo-Earths, which we predict are strongly oxidized and thus would develop metallic cores much smaller than Earth. Investigating our devolatilization model at its extremes as well as varying planetary mass and radius (within the terrestrial regime) reveals potential diversities in the interiors of terrestrial planets. By considering (i) high-precision stellar abundances, (ii) devolatilization, and (iii) planetary mass and radius holistically, this work represents essential steps to explore the detailed mineralogy and interior structure of terrestrial-type exoplanets, which in turn are fundamental for a quantitative understanding of planetary dynamics and long-term evolution.
The interior diversity of terrestrial-type exoplanets: constrained with devolatilized stellar abundances and mass-radius measurements
Wang, Haiyang; Quanz, Sascha Patrick; Yong, David; et al. (2022)
EPSC Abstracts
A major goal in the discovery and characterization of exoplanets is to identify terrestrial-type worlds that are similar to (or otherwise distinct from) our Earth. The combination of mass-radius measurements and host stellar abundances has been proposed to constrain the interiors of small (rocky) exoplanets. In this work, we advocate the importance of using devolatilized stellar abundances, instead of uncorrected stellar abundances, to further reduce degeneracies in modelling the interiors of rocky exoplanets. We apply an empirical devolatilization model to a selected sample of 13 planet-hosting Sun-like stars, for which high-precision photospheric abundances have been available. With the resultant devolatilized stellar composition (i.e. the model planetary bulk composition), as well as other constraints including mass and radius, we model the detailed mineralogy and interior structure of hypothetical, habitable-zone terrestrial planets (‘exo-Earths’) around these stars. Model output shows that most of these exo-Earths are expected to have broadly Earth-like composition and interior structure, consistent with conclusions derived independently from analysis of polluted white dwarfs. Investigating the empirical devolatilization model at its extremes as well as varying planetary mass and radius (within the terrestrial regime) reveals potential diversities in the interiors of terrestrial planets. By considering (i) high-precision stellar abundances, (ii) devolatilization, and (iii) planetary mass and radius holistically, this work represents essential steps to explore the detailed mineralogy and interior structure of terrestrial-type exoplanets, which in turn are fundamental for a quantitative understanding of planetary long-term evolution including the interior-atmosphere interactions.
The 142Nd record of Hadean zircons
Caro, Guillaume; Bennett, Vickie C.; Bourdon, Bernard; et al. (2006)
Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Reasoning the chemical composition and geological evolution of terrestrial planets to be found in the Alpha Centauri A and B System: A top-down approach
Wang, Haiyang; Lineweaver, Charles; Mojzsis, Stephen; et al. (2021)
A model Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone of α Centauri A/B
Wang, Haiyang; Linweaver, Charles; Quanz, Sascha Patrick; et al. (2022)
The Astrophysical Journal
The bulk chemical composition and interior structure of rocky exoplanets are of fundamental importance to understanding their long-term evolution and potential habitability. Observations of the chemical compositions of the solar system rocky bodies and of other planetary systems have increasingly shown a concordant picture that the chemical composition of rocky planets reflects that of their host stars for refractory elements, whereas this expression breaks down for volatiles. This behavior is explained by devolatilization during planetary formation and early evolution. Here, we apply a devolatilization model calibrated with the solar system bodies to the chemical composition of our nearest Sun-like stars -- α Centauri A and B -- to estimate the bulk composition of any habitable-zone rocky planet in this binary system ("α-Cen-Earth"). Through further modeling of likely planetary interiors and early atmospheres, we find that compared to Earth, such a planet is expected to have (i) a reduced (primitive) mantle that is similarly dominated by silicates albeit enriched in carbon-bearing species (graphite/diamond); (ii) a slightly larger iron core, with a core mass fraction of 38.4+4.7−5.1 wt% (cf. Earth's 32.5 ± 0.3 wt%); (iii) an equivalent water-storage capacity; and (iv) a CO2-CH4-H2O-dominated early atmosphere that resembles that of Archean Earth. Further taking into account its ∼ 25% lower intrinsic radiogenic heating from long-lived radionuclides, an ancient α-Cen-Earth (∼ 1.5-2.5 Gyr older than Earth) is expected to have less efficient mantle convection and planetary resurfacing, with a potentially prolonged history of stagnant-lid regimes.
Plausible Constraints on the Range of Bulk Terrestrial Exoplanet Compositions in the Solar Neighborhood
Spaargaren, Rob J.; Wang, Haiyang; Mojzsis, Stephen; et al. (2023)
The Astrophysical Journal
Rocky planet compositions regulate planetary evolution by affecting core sizes, mantle properties, and melting behaviors. Yet, quantitative treatments of this aspect of exoplanet studies remain generally underexplored. We attempt to constrain the range of potential bulk terrestrial exoplanet compositions in the solar neighborhood (<200 pc). We circumscribe probable rocky exoplanet compositions based on a population analysis of stellar chemical abundances from the Hypatia and GALAH catalogs. We apply a devolatilization model to simulate compositions of hypothetical, terrestrial-type exoplanets in the habitable zones around Sun-like stars, considering elements O, S, Na, Si, Mg, Fe, Ni, Ca, and Al. We further apply core-mantle differentiation by assuming constant oxygen fugacity, and model the consequent mantle mineralogy with a Gibbs energy minimization algorithm. We report statistics on several compositional parameters and propose a reference set of (21) representative planet compositions for use as end-member compositions in imminent modeling and experimental studies. We find a strong correlation between stellar Fe/Mg and metallic-core sizes, which can vary from 18 to 35 wt%. Furthermore, stellar Mg/Si gives a first-order indication of mantle mineralogy, with high-Mg/Si stars leading to weaker, ferropericlase-rich mantles, and low-Mg/Si stars leading to mechanically stronger mantles. The element Na, which modulates crustal buoyancy and mantle clinopyroxene fraction, is affected by devolatilization the most. While we find that planetary mantles mostly consist of Fe/Mg silicates, the core sizes and relative abundances of common minerals can nevertheless vary significantly among exoplanets. These differences likely lead to different evolutionary pathways among rocky exoplanets in the solar neighborhood.
Extrasolar Geochemistry: Predicting Rocky Exoplanet Mantle Mineralogy Using Stellar Abundance Data
Spaargaren, Rob; Wang, Haiyang; Mojzsis, Stephen; et al. (2024)
Goldschmidt 2024 Abstract
Europium as a lodestar: diagnosis of radiogenic heat production in terrestrial exoplanets
Wang, Haiyang; Morel, Thierry; Quanz, Sascha Patrick; et al. (2020)
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Context. Long-lived radioactive nuclides, such as 40K, 232Th, 235U, and 238U, contribute to persistent heat production in the mantle of terrestrial-type planets. As refractory elements, the concentrations of Th and U in a terrestrial exoplanet are implicitly reflected in the photospheric abundances of the stellar host. However, a robust determination of these stellar abundances is difficult in practice owing to the general paucity and weakness of the relevant spectral features. Aims. We draw attention to the refractory, r-process element europium, which may be used as a convenient and practical proxy for the population analysis of radiogenic heating in exoplanetary systems. Methods. As a case study, we present a determination of Eu abundances in the photospheres of α Cen A and B with high-resolution HARPS spectra and a strict line-by-line differential analysis. To first order, the measured Eu abundances can be converted into the abundances of 232Th, 235U, and 238U with observational constraints, while the abundance of 40K is approximated independently with a Galactic chemical evolution model. Results. Our determination shows that europium is depleted with respect to iron by ~0.1 dex and to silicon by ~0.15 dex compared to solar in the two binary components. The loci of α Cen AB at the low-ends of both [Eu/Fe] and [Eu/Si] distributions of a large sample of FGK stars further suggest significantly lower potential of radiogenic heat production in any putative terrestrial-like planet (i.e. α-Cen-Earth) in this system compared to that in rocky planets (including our own Earth) that formed around the majority of these Sun-like stars. Based on our calculations of the radionuclide concentrations in the mantle and assuming the mantle mass to be the same as that of our Earth, we find that the radiogenic heat budget in an α-Cen-Earth is 73.4−6.9+8.3 TW upon its formation and 8.8−1.3+1.7 TW at the present day, which is 23 ± 5% and 54 ± 5% lower than that in the Hadean Earth (94.9 ± 5.5 TW) and in the modern Earth (19.0 ± 1.1 TW), respectively. Conclusions. As a consequence, mantle convection in an α-Cen-Earth is expected to be overall weaker than that of Earth (assuming other conditions are the same), and thus such a planet would be less geologically active, suppressing its long-term potential to recycle its crust and volatiles. With Eu abundances being available for a large sample of Sun-like stars, the proposed approach can extend our ability to predict the nature of other rocky worlds that can be tested by future observations. © ESO 2020.

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Stephen Mojzsis

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