Exoplanets, Granitoids and Evolutionary Potential

Abstract

As we have seen, granite is ubiquitous on terrestrial bodies in the solar system. Its volume relates to two factors: the persistence of volcanism and the presence of water. The more water there is available in the mantle, the greater the occurrence of partial melting; the longer the lower crust remains hot, the more likely it will be that bodies of mafic magma will persist and fractionate.