Tidal heating and magma oceans: How the super-Earth 55 Cancri e maintains its atmosphere

Star system: 55 Cancri A | Distance from the Sun: 41.1 light years

The rocky super-Earth 55 Cancri e is a world of extremes, featuring a global magma ocean with temperatures exceeding 3000 K. Recent findings suggest this planet possesses a carbon-rich atmosphere likely created by gases escaping from its molten interior. 

This study reveals that tidal heating—internal friction caused by the star's gravity—acts as a crucial engine that keeps the planet's surface molten and prolongs the release of gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor. Without this extra heat, the atmosphere would have likely thinned out millions of years ago. These results help explain why the planet still shows signs of an atmosphere after 8 billion years and provide a new framework for identifying which other hot, rocky planets in our galaxy might still be 'breathing' out secondary atmospheres from their volcanic depths.

Scientific study

The Effect of Tidal Heating and Volatile Budgets on the Outgassed Atmosphere of 55 Cancri e (external link)