Exploring Super-Earth Surfaces: Albedo of Near-Airless Magma Ocean Planets and Topography
Journal
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
In this paper we propose an analytic function for the spherical albedo values
of airless and near-airless magma ocean planets (AMOPs). We generated 2-D
fractal surfaces with varying compositions onto which we individually threw
10,000 light rays. Using an approximate form of the Fresnel equations we
measured how much of the incident light was reflected. Having repeated this
algorithm on varying surface roughnesses we find the spherical albedo as a
function of the Hurst exponent, the geochemical composition of the magma, and
the wavelength. As a proof of concept, we used our model on Kepler-10b to
demonstrate the applicability of our approach. We present the spherical albedo
values produced from different lava compositions and multiple tests that can be
applied to observational data in order to determine their characteristics.
Currently, there is a strong degeneracy in the surface composition of AMOPs due
to the large uncertainties in their measured spherical albedos. In spite of
this, when applied to Kepler-10b we show that its high albedo could be caused
by a moderately wavy ocean that is rich in oxidised metallic species such as
FeO, $\rm Fe_{2}O_{3}$, $\rm Fe_{3}O_{4}$. This would imply that Kepler-10b is
a coreless or near-coreless body.
Volume
358
Start page
114175
Issn Identifier
0019-1035
Rights
open.access
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