Tidal Heating of Terrestrial Extra-Solar Planets and Implications for their Habitability

Abstract

The tidal heating of hypothetical rocky (or terrestrial) extra-solar planets spans a wide range of values depending on stellar masses and initial orbits. Tidal heating may be sufficiently large (in many cases, in excess of radiogenic heating) and long-lived to drive plate tectonics, similar to the Earth's, which may enhance the planet's habitability. In other cases, excessive tidal heating may result in Io-like planets with violent volcanism, probably rendering them unsuitable for life. On water-rich planets, tidal heating may generate sub-surface oceans analogous to Europa's with similar prospects for habitability. Tidal heating may enhance the outgassing of volatiles, contributing to the formation and replenishment of a planet's atmosphere. To address these issues, we model the tidal heating and evolution of hypothetical extra-solar terrestrial planets. The results presented here constrain the orbital and physical properties required for planets to be habitable.

accepted for publication in MNRAS on 2008 Aug 20 35 manuscript pages, 7 figures