One planet rocky and full of volcanic activity was found during the study of a star system called HD 104067. Astronomers at the University of California were surprised to spot the TOI-6713.01which is 30% larger than Earth.
Using NASA’s Tess space telescope, whose objective is to search for exoplanets, the third of this system was discovered. Even though there are already others, the astonishment was caused by the number of active volcanoes that exist on its rocky surface.
“He has been forced into a situation where he is constantly exploding with volcanoes. At optical wavelengths, it would be possible to see an incandescent, red planet with a surface of molten lava,” said Stephen Kane, astrophysicist and author of the study.
Through the data obtained, it was identified that TOI-6713.01 is very similar to one of Jupiter’s moons, Io, a body that has the greatest volcanic activity in our solar system. Because it is very close to the planet, the star is affected by gravitational forces from the other moons, causing constant eruptions.
TOI-6713.01, a planet in the newly discovered star system, is at 2,327ºC and under the influence of the tidal energy effect, which occurs when orbiting bodies share their gravitational forces. For this reason, its orbit is eccentric, forming an elliptical trajectory.
This effect can deform the bodies involved, causing variations in their shapes and even generating internal heat. In the case of TOI-6713.01, the force generated by the other planets in the star system causes intense volcanic activity and high temperatures on its surface.
In the next studies, Kane and his colleagues want to discover the mass of the new planet in order to calculate its density. From these numbers, it will be possible to gauge the amount of material expelled by volcanoes. “This teaches us a lot about the extremes of how much energy can be injected into a terrestrial planet, and the consequences of that,” said the astronomer.
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