Lane Team Models 0.5-1.4 Solar-Mass Stars to Spot Engulfed Rocky Planets

1 articles · Updated · aasnova.org · Jun 3

Kaitlyn Lane’s team modeled how main-sequence stars of 0.5 to 1.4 solar masses consume rocky planets, aiming to identify observable signs that a star has swallowed an Earth-like world.
1D simulations show engulfed planets usually disintegrate inside the star’s outer convective layer; a super-Earth case used a planet 15 times Earth’s mass.
Hours before destruction, drag rises sharply as the planet spirals inward, and the final plunge destroys it in about 30 minutes.
1.4-solar-mass stars stand out because their shallower convective zones can let some planetary material reach the radiative zone, while also making metal pollution easier to detect.
The study offers a guide for future searches for chemically altered stars that may preserve evidence of past planetary engulfment.