We investigate the interior structures and cryovolcanic observability of the exoplanets TRAPPIST-1f, g, and h. Our aim is to determine which interior configurations can sustain subsurface liquid water oceans in […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, TRAPPIST-1, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
![Joining of the inner and outer subsystems. The evolution of the semi-major axes is shown with continuous coloured lines for all planets, which are also labelled by circles whose size reflect the observed size of the planets. In our favoured scenario, planet e followed the inner edge while planets b, c and d were in the inner cavity. Planets f, g and h join the system later, undergoing inward disc-driven migration (the disc is depicted by the top shaded area, with the lighter shading on the right indicating that the disc will eventually disperse). Since planet g is more massive than f and h, it is likely to capture f in resonance (the 4:3 being the favoured commensurability [5]) and the two planets migrate in together. When f reaches the 3:2 resonance with e, the combined push from g-f is sufficient to dislodge planet e from the inner edge (shown as a blue line enclosing the top shaded area). Driven by a full OLT, the orbit of planet e decays faster than f and g, approaching the 3:2 resonance with d. Planet h is the last one to migrate in and capture g in the 3:2 resonance to complete the chain. -- astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Forming-the-Trappist-1-system.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
