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The potential habitability of tidally locked planets orbiting M-dwarf starshas been widely investigated in recent work, typically with a non-dynamic oceanand without continents. On Earth, ocean dynamics are a primary means of heatand nutrient distribution. Continents are a critical source of nutrients,strongly influence ocean dynamics, and participate in climate regulation. Inthis work, we investigate how the size of a substellar land mass affects theoceans ability to transport heat and upwell nutrients on the tidally lockedplanet Proxima Centauri b using the ROCKE-3D coupled ocean-atmosphere GeneralCirculation Model (GCM). We find that dayside ice-free ocean and nutrientdelivery to the mixed layer via upwelling are maintained across all continentsizes. We also find that Proxima Centauri bs climate is more sensitive todifferences among atmospheric GCMs than to the inclusion of ocean dynamics inROCKE-3D. Finally, we find that Proxima Centauri b transitions from a lobsterstate where ocean heat transport distributes heat away from the substellarpoint to an eyeball state where heat transport is restricted and surfacetemperature decreases symmetrically from the substellar point when thecontinent size exceeds about 20 percent of the surface area. Our work suggeststhat both a dynamic ocean and continents are unlikely to decrease thehabitability prospects of nearby tidally locked targets like Proxima Centauri bthat could be investigated with future observations by the James Webb SpaceTelescope (JWST).

The Effect of Substellar Continent Size on Ocean Dynamics of Proxima Centauri b