THREE POSSIBLE ORIGINS FOR THE GAS LAYER ON GJ 1214b

@article{Rogers2010THREEPO,
  title={THREE POSSIBLE ORIGINS FOR THE GAS LAYER ON GJ 1214b},
  author={Leslie A. Rogers and Sara Seager},
  journal={The Astrophysical Journal},
  year={2010},
  volume={716},
  pages={1208 - 1216}
}
We present an analysis of the bulk composition of the MEarth transiting super-Earth exoplanet GJ 1214b using planet interior structure models. We consider three possible origins for the gas layer on GJ 1214b: direct accretion of gas from the protoplanetary nebula, sublimation of ices, and outgassing from rocky material. Armed only with measurements of the planet mass (Mp = 6.55 ± 0.98 M⊕), radius (Rp = 2.678 ± 0.13 R⊕), and stellar irradiation level, our main conclusion is that we cannot infer… 
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164 Citations

GJ 1214b and the prospects for liquid water on super Earths
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  • Physics, Geology
    Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
  • 2010
Abstract GJ 1214b is one of the first discovered transiting planets having mass (6.55 M⊕) and radius (2.678 R⊕) smaller than Neptune. To account for its low average density (1870 kg m−3), GJ 1214b…
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Very high-density planets: a possible remnant of gas giants
  • A. Mocquet, O. Grasset, C. Sotin
  • Geology, Physics
    Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
  • 2014
TLDR
This study shows that for moderate viscosity values (1025 Pa s or lower), large values of escape rate and associated unloading stress rate during the atmospheric loss process lead to the explosion of extremely massive planets, but for moderate escape rate, the bulk viscosities and finite-strain incompressibility of the cores of giant planets can be large enough to retain a very high density during geological time scales.
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