Tidal Heating of Terrestrial Extra-Solar Planets and Implications for their Habitability

Understand

The tidal heating of hypothetical rocky (or terrestrial) extra-solar planets spans a wide range of values depending on stellar masses and initial orbits.

• Tidal heating may be sufficiently large (in many cases, in excess of radiogenic heating) and long-lived to drive plate tectonics, similar to the Earth's, which may enhance the planet's habitability.
• In other cases, excessive tidal heating may result in Io-like planets with violent volcanism, probably rendering them unsuitable for life.
• On water-rich planets, tidal heating may generate sub-surface oceans analogous to Europa's with similar prospects for habitability.