The Volatile Carbon to Oxygen Ratio as a Tracer for the Formation Locations of Interstellar Comets

Seligman, Darryl Z.; Rogers, Leslie A.; Noonan, John; Kareta, Theodore; Mandt, Kathleen; Ciesla, F. J.; McKay, Adam; Feinstein, Adina D.; Levine, W. Garrett; Bean, Jacob L.; Nordlander, Thomas; Krumholz, Mark R.; Mansfield, Megan; Hoover, Devin J.; Clepper, Eric Van

doi:10.48550/arxiv.2204.13211

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“…It may be possible to distinguish between planetesimal and comet accretion based on the typical compositions of these objects. Their compositions are a function of formation location relative to various volatile condensation fronts (Öberg et al 2011;Seligman et al 2022). As an example, the atmospheric alkali metal content of hot Jupiters may indicate planetesimal accretion exterior to the H 2 O snow line and subsequent inward migration (Hands & Helled 2022).…”

Section: Cometary Enrichment Of Exoplanetsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As an example, the atmospheric alkali metal content of hot Jupiters may indicate planetesimal accretion exterior to the H 2 O snow line and subsequent inward migration (Hands & Helled 2022). The population-level compositions of interstellar comets are unconstrained, although 2I/Borisov exhibited a volatile C/O ratio indicative of formation exterior to the CO snow line (Bodewits et al 2020;Cordiner et al 2020;Seligman et al 2022). If most interstellar comets form at large radial distances, interstellar cometary analogs, and planetesimals may deliver volatile material with varying condensation temperatures.…”

Section: Cometary Enrichment Of Exoplanetsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The detection and compositional characterization of future interstellar comets will greatly refine the calculations and estimates presented in this Letter. The carbon-to-oxygen ratio of the volatile coma of an interstellar comet can be used to infer its formation location within the protostellar disk relative to the CO snow line (Seligman et al 2022). The fraction of interstellar comets that formed exterior and interior to the CO snow line will also represent the fraction of exoplanetary enriching comets that formed in these regions.…”

Section: Ramifications For Upcoming Jwst Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inferring Late-stage Enrichment of Exoplanet Atmospheres from Observed Interstellar Comets

Seligman

Becker

Adams

et al. 2022

ApJL

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The discovery of the first two interstellar objects implies that, on average, every star contributes a substantial amount of material to the galactic population by ejecting such bodies from the host system. Because scattering is a chaotic process, a comparable amount of material should be injected into the inner regions of each system that ejects comets. For comets that are transported inwards and interact with planets, this Letter estimates the fraction of material that is accreted or outward-scattered as a function of planetary masses and orbital parameters. These calculations indicate that planets with escape velocities smaller than their current-day orbital velocities will efficiently accrete comets. We estimate the accretion efficiency for members of the current census of extrasolar planets and find that planetary populations including but not limited to hot and warm Jupiters, sub-Neptunes, and super-Earths can efficiently capture incoming comets. This cometary enrichment may have important ramifications for postformation atmospheric composition and chemistry. As a result, future detections and compositional measurements of interstellar comets will provide direct measurements of material that potentially enriched a subpopulation of the extrasolar planets. Finally, we estimate the efficiency of this enrichment mechanism for extrasolar planets that will be observed with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). With JWST currently operational and these observations imminently forthcoming, it is of critical importance to investigate how enrichment from interstellar comet analogs may affect the interpretations of exoplanet atmospheric compositions.

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Section: Cometary Enrichment Of Exoplanetsmentioning

confidence: 99%