Examining the evidence for Chthonian planets : superdense exposed exoplanet cores

Planetary cores are of interest because they provide insight into the internal dynamics and composition of planets. By using mass-radius relationship compositional analysis, this work originally set out to look for evidence of exoplanet exposed iron cores; it stumbled, however, upon potential superdense core candidates (or "Chthonian" cores). We identify 19 potential superdense core candidates, and compare them to the Fossilized Core Theory and the Giant Impact Theory of formation. Additionally, while there are 19 superdense core candidates, they represent only 11 solar systems. We find that both theories plausibly describe the formation of these superdense candidates, and note that all candidates have very typical stars similar to our own sun. Until the mass measurements of the candidates are better constrained, further conclusions cannot be drawn, however, this new type of planet could help inform planetary formation, evolution, and interior dynamic models.

Name thesis:degree_name

Bachelor

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Bates-Tarasewicz, Haley.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Benjamin Weiss.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122447

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/122447