where:
| x | Additional mass (kg) |
| d | Density of the additional mass (kg.m-3) |
| M | Original mass of the planet (kg) |
| r | Original planetary radius (m) |
| L | Luminosity of the star, sol: 3.86 x1026 (W) |
| Ro | For a planet: Minimum orbital radius of the planet (m) |
| For a moon: Minimum orbital radius of the planet - Maximum orbital radius of the moon (m) |
Note:
Including the exobase height will make the equation too complex, so it is not included at this time.
To solve the equation: use your own value of x until the equation is true.