The Dense Rocky Mantle of Super-Earth Exoplanet GJ 667 Cc
The Geologic Anatomy of a Massive Terrestrial World GJ 667 Cc , a super-Earth orbiting the triple-star system GJ 667 , stands as a primary subject for understanding the transition between terrestrial worlds and gas-shrouded sub-Neptunes . With a mass approximately 3.8 times that of Earth, this celestial body represents a dense, rocky construct characterized by extreme gravitational compression and a high degree of silicate-metallic stratification . Unlike the smaller, more volatile-poor worlds of our inner solar system, GJ 667 Cc possesses the structural bulk necessary to retain a significant, albeit dense, atmospheric envelope of volatile gases. Orbital Mechanics and Thermal Flux The orbital period of GJ 667 Cc is remarkably short, completing a revolution around its primary M-dwarf host star every 28 days. Because its host is significantly cooler and smaller than the Sun, this tig...