The Indirect Detection of Liquid Water in Extrasolar Protoplanetary Disks
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Issue Date
2016
Authors
Terzolo, Anthony J.
Fogerty, Shane
Morris, Melissa A.
Publisher
Keywords
Phyllosilicates , Meteorites , Space environment , Fluid dynamics (Space environment)
Abstract
Phyllosilicates are hydrous minerals that form through the interaction of rock
and liquid water. Phyllosilicates are found in abundance in certain types of
meteorites originating from the asteroid belt, providing evidence for liquid water
in the early Solar System. Most phyllosilicates show a distinct emission in the
mid-infrared (MIR) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and can be
detected in extrasolar disks [1]. We have examined the observed spectra of
several candidate extrasolar planetary systems, and have found the signature
of phyllosilicates in the extrasolar disk of 1RXS J161410.6-230542. The
detection of phyllosilicates in this disk would indicate the presence of liquid
water and suggest a similarity to our own Solar System. We present the
comparison of our model spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the
protoplanetary disk 1RXS J1614.6-2320542 to observations obtained by the
Spitzer Space Telescope.