Assessing the potential for liquid solvents from X-ray sources: considerations on bodies orbiting active galactic nuclei

We aim to establish a rough first prospect on the potential of certain biorelevant solvents (water, ammonia, and methane) being present in liquid form inside the uppermost few meters of several modeled rocky and icy surfaces of hypothetical bodies orbiting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and investiga...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rodener, Daniel (Author) , Schäfer, Myriam (Author) , Hausmann, Michael (Author) , Hildenbrand, Georg Lars (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 17 October 2022
In: Galaxies
Year: 2022, Volume: 10, Issue: 5, Pages: 1-27
ISSN:2075-4434
DOI:10.3390/galaxies10050101
Online Access:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3390/galaxies10050101
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/10/5/101
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Author Notes:Daniel Rodener, Myriam Schäfer, Michael Hausmann and Georg Hildenbrand
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Summary:We aim to establish a rough first prospect on the potential of certain biorelevant solvents (water, ammonia, and methane) being present in liquid form inside the uppermost few meters of several modeled rocky and icy surfaces of hypothetical bodies orbiting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and investigate under which constraints this might occur. For this, we adjust and average X-ray spectra from a sample of 20 Type-1 Seyfert galaxies to calculate the mean snowline of the sample used. We then vary the hypothetical body’s orbit between 10% and 100% of the snowline radius and calculate a sub-surface attenuation within four different model surface compositions for each. We then use this as a continuous source term for a thermal model. Example bodies are systematically investigated with sizes between 1/30 and 20 earth radii, with further variations also considered (such as possible bound rotation), to end up with a perspective of solvent phases under a wide slew of different conditions. We find that liquid solvents are possible under a multitude of parameters, with temperature being the main constraint to liquid water whereas body size and pressure are the main constraint to liquid methane and ammonia.
Item Description:Gesehen am 05.08.2023
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:2075-4434
DOI:10.3390/galaxies10050101