Solar SystemSolar System

J. D. PriceJ. D. Price

Natural Science II – ERTH 1040

Mass: 1.9734 E 30 kg Dia: 1.4 E 6 km Comp: 92% H2, 8% He Rot: 25 d

Core T: 14 E 6 ºC (22.5 E 6 ºF) Srf T: 5,500o C (9,932o F)

Sun

Drawing by EB Watson

Hertzsprung-Russell DiagramHertzsprung-Russell Diagram

Output

The fate of our star

Fusion to C

Carbon-helium nucleosynthesis

All of the elements heavier than H were fused in the stars.

Light elements are most abundant, because they are produced first and foremost.

Even elements are more abundant because of the fusion effect

Neutron capturelate red giant (s process)Supernova (r process)

Above C - late red giant

Solar system

Planet density

Mercury Venus Earth MarsMass: 0.33 E 24 kg 4.87 E 24 kg 5.98 E 24 kg 0.64 E 24 kilograms Av. Dia: 4,878 km (3,030 mi) 12,104 km (7,522 mi) 12,753 km (7,926 mi) 6,785 km (4,217 miles)Rot: 58.65 d N 243 d R 24 hrs N 24.6 hrs NTilt: 0º 177-178o 23o 27” 25o 12"Rev: 0.24 yrs 0.62 yrs 365 days 5 hrs 1.88 yearsAtmos: none CO2 N2 with O2 CO2

Surface T: -184o C to 427o C457o C (855o F) -89o C to 57.7o C -129o C to 0o C

(-300o F to 800o F) (-128o F to 136o F) ( -200o F to 32o F)Eq. g: 3.7 m/s2 8.8 m/s2 9.8 m/s2 3.7 m/s2

Esc. V. 4.25 km/s 10.36 km/s 11.18 km/s5.02 km/s

Sat: 0 0 1 2Mag: yes no yes no

Terrestrials

r = 6378 km

The structure of Earth is thought to be very similar to the rest of the terrestrial planets.

] Iron (w 10% Nickel) core

] Fe-Mg Silicate mantle

] Al Ca / K-Na Silicate crust

The magnetic fields of Earth and Mercury may result from the liquid state of their cores.

Earth’s MoonEarth’s Moon

NASAGalileo

Avg. distance = 380,000 km (238,00 mi)

Surface

•Dust and orange glass – meteoritic impact

•Basalt – dark colored rock

•Anorthosite – light colored rock

•Breccias – mixed rock

•Impact Theory – Mars-sized object strikes Earth, ejects lunar material

Moon’s composition indicates that formation must occur after partial differentiation of the earth

© 2006, NASA

Lunar HistoryLunar History

• 4.5-3.8 Ga: Molten surface – maybe 100km deep

• 3.8-3.1 Ga: Molten interior –radioactive heating, core segregation, lava floods

• 3.1 Ga to present: Cold and quiet –, meteorite modification.

Earth and MoonEarth and Moon

fragments of the Moon and Marsfragments of the Moon and Mars

Achondrite

Allan Hills 84001

A fragment of Mars found in the Antarctic ice. The concretions generated vigorous debate - but ultimately determined non-biogenic

Carbonate concretions

Not evidence of lifeNot evidence of life

Mars topography

Rough south, smooth north

The view from Pathfinder, 1997

©2005, NASA - JPL

Twin Peaks

MER-A Spirit

Spirit’s travels

Currently, Spirit is crippled by low output from its solar array (Sol 1736)

The MER-A Spirit landed 1/4/2004 UTC

This approximate true-color image of outcrop dubbed "Longhorn," and behind it, the sweeping plains of Gusev Crater. On the horizon, the rim of Gusev Crater is clearly visible to south. Sol 210 (August 5,

2004). Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell Image Note: SolA_210_P2398_L257_Longhorn (jpg used)

Images of Mars

Spirits ascent up Husband Hill Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/OSU/NMU

The long road

Dark, porous-textured volcanic rocks on Low Ridge. Two rocks to the right of center, brighter and smoother-looking are thought to be meteorites. bright material is evidence of sulfur-rich salty minerals in the subsurface.

Sol: 1000Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

McMurdo Panorama

Mazatzal is a highly coated rock: a top coat of dust, a pinking coating, a dark rind and its true interior. The observed area is 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) across.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL/USGS/Cornell Image Note: Mazatzal_closeup_RAT2-A087R1

2nd pass at rock named Mazatal (sol 85).Blue arrow - leftover portions of the outer dark rind. Yellow arrow - bright edges surrounding the rind. Red arrows - crack that may have once contained fluids out of which minerals precipitated.

Earth-like processes

The MER-B Opportunity landed 1/25/04 UTC

Opportunity is still going strong (Sol 1709)

"Burns Cliff" after driving right to the base of this southeastern portion of the inner wall of "Endurance Crater." The view combines frames taken by Opportunity's panoramic camera between the rover's 287th and 294th sol (Nov. 13 to 20, 2004). Because of this wide-angle view, the cliff walls appear to bulge out toward the camera. In reality the walls form a gently curving, continuous surface. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell Image Note: Burns_Cliff_L257T-B313R1

Dune structures near Erebus - “color” image from OpportunityImage Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

MerB

Hematite-rich soil includes rounded “blueberries” on plains of Anatolia. Morphology suggested of fluid origins. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell

Fluid origins

Phoenix Lander (08)

Exploring the polar frost-soil

Verified water with Thermal emission mass spec

New data on Martian weather

Optical and AF microscopic view of samples

Eberswalde Crater

Delta

Gale Crater

Mountains

Holden crater

Lake

Mawrth Vallis

Oddity

MSL 2009Mars Science Laboratory will extend the investigation

Smaller fragments of condensed solid matter

Most orbit sun between Mars and Jupiter

Infrequently impact planets

Asteroids

Drawing by EB Watson

NEA’s

http://near.jhuapl.edu/

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits

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http://near.jhuapl.edu/

Feb 12, 2001

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2036 potential impact from Asteroid Apophis (d = 390m)

April 13, 2029 enters low-earth space (beneath g.s. satellites).

But not hit Earth

However, the close encounter will influence its path. If it flies through a 600 m area it will hit the Earth in 2036. (1:5,500 chance)

This might hurt a bit…

A chilling vision of things to come…

Gas giants

Interior

All planets beyond Venus have moons

Natural Satellites (Moons)

Jovian moons – earthlike?

Io – active volcanism

Europa – Dynamic surface of water ice

Calisto – Water Ice potentially underlain by liquid water

Q: how are moons different from planets

Ultraviolet reflectance from rings - blue coloring in image indicates ice (H2O-CO2)

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Rings are stoney-icey mini-moons trapped in Saturn’s gravitational field.

©2005, NASA - ESA - JPL

Iapetus

Pheobe

Prometheus(Shepard)

Rhea

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New views from Cassini

©2005, NASA - ESA - JPL

Icy Moons - CICLOPS

Dione above rings, Saturn’s

colors.CICLOPS

Distance from Saturn 1 221 870 kmDistance from Sun 1 427 000 000 km (9.54 AU)Diameter (atmosphere) 5550 kmDiameter (surface) 5150 kmMass 1/45 that of EarthAverage density 1.881 times liquid waterSurface temperature 94K (-180 degrees C)Atmos. P at surface 1500 mbar (1.5 times Earth's)Atmos. composition Nitrogen, methane, traces of ammonia, argon, ethaneOrbital period 15.95 Earth days

Titan - Saturn’s largest satellite

©2005, European Space Agency

Huygens’ view on the way down

©2005, European Space Agency

Titan appears to have a dynamic surface.

Approaching Titan

©2005, NASA - ESA - JPL

Earth-like dendritic stream channels - formed by liquid methane

What is the source of methane?

Huygens senses the surface

Lake-like features

Uranus & Neptune

Spectral analysis

Drawing by EB Watson

Pluto

Charon

Kuiper belt objects

Concentrated at the edge of solar system (Oort Cloud)

A few make closer orbits to the sun

Image of C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang)March 11.77, 2002 UT with deltagraph 300/1000 8 min.

Ektachrome 100 film Copyright ©2002 Michael Jager.

http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/Recent_Images.html

Comets

Oort cloud

Drawing by EB Watson