An Introduction to the Solar System

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An Introduction to the Solar System
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Contents
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1 A TOUR OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
	1.1 A grand tour
		1.1.1 Mercury
		1.1.2 Venus
		1.1.3 Earth and the Moon
		1.1.4 Mars
		1.1.5 Asteroids
		1.1.6 Jupiter
		1.1.7 Saturn
		1.1.8 Uranus
		1.1.9 Neptune
		1.1.10 Pluto and the Kuiper Belt
		1.1.11 Comets
	1.2 The formation of the Solar System
	1.3 The layout of the Solar System
	1.4 Physical properties of Solar Systembodies
	1.5 Summary of Chapter 1
CHAPTER 2 THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
	2.1 Introduction
	2.2 Investigating Earth’s internal structure
		2.2.1 Density and the messages in the rocks
			Comparing terrestrial rock types
			Comparing terrestrial rocks and meteorites
		2.2.2 Seismic evidence for layering
		2.2.3 The composition of Earth’s layers
			Core
			Mantle
			Crust
			Other terrestrial bodies
			In which types of substances did elements exist during the cooling of the solar nebula?
	2.3 Origins of planets and of planetary layering
		2.3.1 Condensation, accretion and collision
		2.3.2 Assembly, melting and differentiation
		2.3.3 Evidence from the Moon
	2.4 Turning up the heat – how to ‘cook’ a planet
		2.4.1 Origins of primordial heat, differentiation and core formation
		2.4.2 Tidal heating
		2.4.3 Radiogenic heating
		2.4.4 Heat transfer and its effects within the terrestrial planets
			Conduction
			Convection
			Advection
		2.4.5 Heat loss and plate tectonics
	2.5 Dead or alive? Plate tectonics and resurfacing
		2.5.1 Earth
		2.5.2 The Moon
		2.5.3 Mercury
		2.5.4 Venus
		2.5.5 Mars
		2.5.6 Io
		2.5.7 Europa
	2.6 Summary of Chapter 2
CHAPTER 3 PLANETARY VOLCANISM – ULTIMA THULE?
	3.1 Introduction
		3.1.1 What is volcanism?
		3.1.2 Melting by other methods
		3.1.3 The concept of partial melting
		3.1.4 Magma generation in silicate bodies – peridotite to basalt alchemy
		3.1.5 Non-silicate partial melting and the generation of icy magmas
	3.2 Styles of volcanism on Earth
		3.2.1 Effusive volcanism and lava flow dynamics
		3.2.2 Explosive volcanism: eruption columns and pyroclastic eruptions
			Pyroclastic eruptions
			Eruption columns
			Dispersal of volcanic ejecta
	3.3 Factors affecting extraterrestrial volcanic eruptions
		3.3.1 Gravity
		3.3.2 Atmospheric density
		3.3.3 Surface and atmospheric temperatures
		3.3.4 Cryovolcanism
		3.3.5 Summary
	3.4 Volcanism on the terrestrial planets and planet-like bodies
		3.4.1 Earth
		3.4.2 The Moon
		3.4.3 Mercury
		3.4.4 Venus
		3.4.5 Mars
		3.4.6 Io
		3.4.7 Cryovolcanism on icy bodies
	3.5 Summary of Chapter 3
CHAPTER 4 PLANETARY SURFACE PROCESSES
	4.1 Introduction
	4.2 Historical background
	4.3 The impact process
		4.3.1 Contact and compression stage
		4.3.2 Excavation stage
		4.3.3 Modification
		4.3.4 Additional effects
	4.4 Identifying impacts
		4.4.1 Crater morphology
			Microcraters
			Simple craters
			Complex craters
			Elongate craters
			Peak-ring and multi-ring basins
		4.4.2 Diagnostic shock features in rocks
			Shock effects in minerals
			Shock metamorphosed rocks
			Impact glass
			Geochemical signatures of impact
	4.5 Impactors and targets
		4.5.1 Types of impactor
		4.5.2 Nature of the target
	4.6 Craters as chronometers
		4.6.1 Complicating factors
	4.7 Fluvial and aeolian processes
		4.7.1 Fluvial processes
		4.7.2 Aeolian processes
		4.7.3 Sedimentary rocks
	4.8 Summary of Chapter 4
CHAPTER 5 ATMOSPHERES OF TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
	5.1 Introduction
		5.1.1 Origins and retention of planetary atmospheres
	5.2 Exploration
	5.3 Composition of the atmospheres
	5.4 Atmospheric structure
		5.4.1 Temperature profile
		5.4.2 Heating and cooling
			Effective temperature
			The greenhouse effect
			The stratosphere and the ozone layer
			Heating and cooling of the mesosphere and thermosphere
	5.5 Cloud formation
	5.6 Atmosphericmotion
	5.7 Ionospheres and magnetospheres
	5.8 Summary of Chapter 5
CHAPTER 6 THE GIANT PLANETS
	6.1 Introduction
	6.2 The structures of the giant planets
		6.2.1 Models of the structure
		6.2.2 Obtaining evidence
	6.3 Jupiter and Saturn
		6.3.1 Interiors
		6.3.2 Atmospheres and clouds – structure and composition
			Studying the atmosphere
			Atmospheric composition
			Atmospheric profiles
		6.3.3 Winds and storms
			Jupiter
			The Great Red Spot
			Saturn
		6.3.4 Magnetospheres
			Jupiter
			Saturn
	6.4 Uranus and Neptune
		6.4.1 Composition and interior
		6.4.2 Atmospheres
			Composition
			Atmospheric profile
			Winds and storms
		6.4.3 Magnetospheres
	6.5 Summary of Chapter 6
CHAPTER 7 MINOR BODIES OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
	7.1 Introduction
	7.2 Orbits and Kepler’s laws
		7.2.1 Tidal heating
	7.3 Asteroids
		7.3.1 Asteroid sizes
		7.3.2 Asteroid types
		7.3.3 Asteroids up close
		7.3.4 Vesta and Ceres
	7.4 Centaurs and the Kuiper Belt
		7.4.1 Observational properties
	7.5 Comets
		7.5.1 Comet orbits
	7.6 Interplanetary dust
	7.7 Summary of Chapter 7
CHAPTER 8 THE ORIGIN OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
	8.1 Introduction
	8.2 Physical formation processes
		8.2.1 The beginnings of a solar system
		8.2.2 From dust to protostars
		8.2.3 The Solar Nebula
		8.2.4 Condensation of materials
		8.2.5 Coagulation of grains
		8.2.6 Planetesimals and embryonic planets
		8.2.7 Planetary growth in the inner Solar System
		8.2.8 Formation of the giant planets
		8.2.9 Planetary migration
		8.2.10 Origin of the asteroids and comets
		8.2.11 Satellite systems
	8.3 Summary of Chapter 8
CHAPTER 9 METEORITES: A RECORD OF FORMATION
	9.1 Introduction
		9.1.1 The meteorite–asteroid connection
	9.2 The forensic record
		9.2.1 Cosmic sediments
		9.2.2 Refractory bits and pieces
		9.2.3 Oxygen isotopes and the origin of the Moon
		9.2.4 Riding the x-wind
		9.2.5 Low-temperature materials
		9.2.6 Asteroidal melting processes
	9.3 Summary of Chapter 9
ANSWERS AND COMMENTS
APPENDIX A USEFUL PLANETARY DATA
APPENDIX B SELECTED PHYSICAL CONSTANTS AND UNIT CONVERSIONS
APPENDIX C THE ELEMENTS
GLOSSARY
FURTHER READING
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
FIGURE REFERENCES
INDEX
	A
	B
	C
	D
	E
	F
	G
	H
	I
	J
	K
	L
	M
	N
	O
	P
	Q
	R
	S
	T
	U
	V
	W
	X
	Y
	Z