Solar System

1
Solar System

• All masses that orbit the sun plus the sun!

2
Solar System Contents

• Sun (most of the mass!)
• Planets and their satellites
• Asteroids (asteroid belt)
• Comets (Oort cloud)
• Gas and dust (all over!)

3
Terrestrial Planets

• Earthlike rocks, metals
• Solids and fluidlike materials
• Surfaces that record change
• Small sizes, but high densities
• Inside asteroid belt

4
Jovian Planets

• Jupiter-like Liquids gases
• No solid surfaces to preserve changes
• Large sizes, low densities, made mostly of
  hydrogen and helium
• Outside asteroid belt

5
Planet Models

• Mass spherical shape (Newtons law of
  gravitation)
• Radius (from angular size and distance)
• Bulk density (mass/volume) gt infer general
  composition
• Contain density layers (lowest, surface highest,
  core)

6
Evolution of Planets

• Heat (energy flow)!
• Heat goes from hotter to cooler regions
• Drives internal surface change
• Eventually radiates into space

7
Energy Transfer

• Conduction (solids adjacent particles collide)
• Convection (fluids lower density blobs rise)
• Radiation (radiate energy, emitted and absorbed)

8
Internal Evolution

• Energy flow from core to surface to space
• Source Stored energy of formation, radioactive
  decay
• Results in volcanism, tectonics on solid surfaces
  (terrestrial) convection in liquids gases
  (Jovian)

9
External Evolution

• Impact cratering Solid objects from space, hit
  at tens km/s
• Bomb-like explosion many megatons (H-bomb!)
• Creates circular impact craters on solid
  surfaces turbulent regions in liquids