Electrical conductivity and magnetic dynamos in magma oceans of Super-Earths.

ABSTRACT: Super-Earths are extremely common among the numerous exoplanets that have been discovered. The high pressures and temperatures in their interiors are likely to lead to long-lived magma oceans. If their electrical conductivity is sufficiently high, the mantles of Super-Earth would generate their own magnetic fields. With ab initio simulations, we show that upon melting, the behavior of typical mantle silicates changes from semi-conducting to semi-metallic. The electrical conductivity increases and the optical properties are substantially modified. Melting could thus be detected with high-precision reflectivity measurements during the short time scales of shock experiments. We estimate the electrical conductivity of mantle silicates to be of the order of 100 Ω^-1 cm^-1, w

SUBMITTER: Soubiran F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6155165 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature