Rocky super-Earth interiors

Abstract

Aims. We present interior structure models of the recently discovered exoplanets CoRoT-7b and Kepler-10b addressing their bulk compositions, present thermal states, and internal dynamics. We investigate how mantle convection patterns are influenced by the depth-dependence of thermodynamic parameters (e.g., thermal expansivity and conductivity) caused by the extended pressure and temperature ranges within rocky super-Earths.