Note on: "Inevitability of Plate Tectonics on Super-Earths" by Valencia, O Connell and Sasselov, arXiv preprint 0710.0699

TL;DR

This paper critiques the claim that super-Earths' tectonic activity depends solely on their mass, emphasizing observational limitations and recent astronomical relationships that challenge the universality of this assertion.

Contribution

It highlights the limitations of current observational methods and discusses recent relationships in astronomical bodies that question the mass-based criterion for tectonic activity in super-Earths.

Findings

Mass resolution is insufficient to distinguish super-Earths from moons.

No exomoons have been detected yet due to instrumentation limitations.

Recent astronomical relationships complicate the mass-based tectonics hypothesis.

Abstract

Valencia et al. recently claimed that the mass of a Super-Earth (SE) is a sole factor in determining whether a SE is tectonically active or not. However, mass resolving astrometry is unable to discern between a SE and its moons if any. The fact that no exomoons have been discovered yet is rather a matter of instrumentation imperfection at the present, not of physical absence of exomoons. This, with recently discovered relationships between geometric and physical properties in astronomical bodies (Transiting planets; the Earth) makes it impossible to know yet if the Wageners (here constraining) supposition on somehow-tidally caused tectonics holds universally or not also.