- 1 - Geophysical Classification of Planets, Dwarf Planets, and Moons: A Mass Scale and Composition Codes David G. Russell Owego Free Academy, Owego, NY USA
[email protected] [email protected] Abstract A planetary mass scale and system of composition codes are presented for describing the geophysical characteristics of exoplanets and Solar System planets, dwarf planets, and spherical moons. The composition classes characterize the rock, ice, and gas properties of planetary bodies. The planetary mass scale includes five mass classes with upper and lower mass limits derived from recent studies of the exoplanet mass-radius and mass-density relationships, and the physical characteristics of planets, dwarf planets, and spherical moons in the Solar System. The combined mass and composition codes provide a geophysical classification that allows for comparison of the global mass and composition characteristics of exoplanets with the Solar System’s planets, dwarf planets and spherical moons. The system is flexible and can be combined with additional codes characterizing other physical, dynamical, or biological characteristics of planets. Subject Headings: planets and satellites: composition - planets and satellites: fundamental parameters - planets and satellites: general 1. Introduction To date nearly 3000 exoplanets have been confirmed (Han et al. 2014). It is possible to derive reasonable models for the interior structure of most Solar System planets and many exoplanets (Baraffe et al. 2008, 2010, 2014; Fortney et al. 2006, Sotin et al. 2010). Numerous names are used to characterize exoplanets including: Earth, super-Earth, mini-Neptune, Neptune, sub-Neptune, hot Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, hot Jupiter, Jovian, gas giant, ice giant, rocky, terrestrial, water, and ocean.