Tectonic plates of large planets

2007/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

Scientists try to find out if planets discovered outside the solar system are suitable for life development. In this sense, two research groups have tried to explain the existence or not of tectonics of plates on planets much larger than the Earth (some with up to ten times the mass of the Earth) that consider it essential for the development of life on Earth (plate tectonics reduces temperature and recycles materials). And their conclusions are totally opposite.

One of the two groups, from Harvard University of Cambridge, considers that the large planets have a plate tectonics. They say that the greater a planet, the greater the amount of heat coming out of the radioactive nucleus of that planet. And when this heat hits with the hard layers of the planet, it has more strength to break the layer on plates.

The other group, belonging to the Macquire University of Sydney, states that as the size of a planet increases the force of gravity, which squeezes the stones of the hard layer together, making it difficult for the heat from the core to break the hard layer on plates.

It is not yet clear which of them is right. Researchers from outside these two groups claim that it is too early to reach such conclusions, as very few studies have yet been conducted.