Why is this a Volcanic World?Runaway tidal heating from its moons drives volcanism across a cold crust - the planet is kneaded like Io.
Resonant, close-in moons pump orbital eccentricity, and the resulting tidal flexing dissipates enormous heat in the interior. Only a fraction of the surface is molten at once, so the ground between the vents stays as cold as the orbit allows - Io's own equilibrium temperature is about 110 K.
Classification Criteria:
✓ Close-in moons in a resonant configuration✓ Tidal heat flux beyond the runaway threshold- The orbit is not what melted it: 0.10 AU, 393K equilibrium
Habitability ScoreUninhabitable
0
Contributing Factors
water0
No water - the recipe has no hydrogen and oxygen to form it
geology40
Extreme volcanic activity may be hazardous
rotation10
Near tidally locked - one hemisphere perpetually scorched, other frozen, narrow habitable twilight zone only
Organic Chemistry20
Limited organic chemistry potential
atmosphere16
Atmosphere present but composition not ideal for life (partially stripped by slow rotation)
temperature0
Extreme temperature - very difficult for life (large moon stabilizes the axial tilt - steady seasons) (runaway tidal heating keeps the surface molten regardless of orbit)
magnetic Field100
Magnetic field provides radiation protection (a large close moon may help stir the core dynamo (speculative))
Physical Properties
Mass
7.60x Earth (4.54e+25 kg)
Radius
1.97x Earth (12,526 km)
Surface Gravity
1.97x Earth (19.3 m/s²)
Surface Temperature
393 K (120 °C / 248 °F)
Rotation Period
24.0 hours/day
Orbital Environment
Star Type
M-type (Red Dwarf)
Distance from Star
0.10 AU (15 million km)
Orbital Period
21 days
Atmosphere
Volcanic outgassing - sulfur compounds and vaporized rock
Elemental Composition
Fe - Iron
66.7%
Si - Silicon
33.3%
Surface Characteristics
Runaway tidal heating drives volcanism across a cold crust - lava lakes and sulfur plains between frozen plains
Outside the synchronous orbit: slowly receding, like Luna (~cm per year).
Tidal braking locked the planet to its moon: one face forever moonward.
Moon 2stable0.010% - 14.0 radii
Small and distant: a quiet, stable companion.
Moon 3merged3.2% - 11.2 radii
Merged with an adjacent moon: too close for both to hold a stable orbit.
+5 temperature: large moon stabilizes the axial tilt - steady seasons-85 temperature: runaway tidal heating keeps the surface molten regardless of orbit+5 magneticField: a large close moon may help stir the core dynamo (speculative)