What atmospheric scenario potentially develops if a rocky world becomes too large, transitioning into a super-Earth?
Answer
Accumulating thick, crushing atmospheres dominated by hydrogen and helium.
When a terrestrial planet exceeds a certain mass threshold, its increased gravity allows it to capture and retain significant amounts of the lighter gases—primarily hydrogen and helium—that are abundant in the early protoplanetary disk environment. This results in the planet transitioning into a 'super-Earth' or 'mini-Neptune' class, characterized by extremely thick, dense atmospheres composed predominantly of these gases. Such crushing layers of hydrogen and helium are generally considered incompatible with the structure and function of life as it is presently conceptualized, effectively smothering any surface environment.
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