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Natural Science II – ERTH 1040
Solar System
J. D. Price
Sun
Mass: 1.9734 E 30 kg
He Rot: 25 d
Core T: 14 E 6 ºC (22.5 E 6 ºF)
Dia: 1.4 E 6 km
Comp: 92% H2, 8%
Srf T: 5,500o C (9,932o F)
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Drawing by EB Watson
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
Above C - late red giant
Neutron capture
late red giant (s process)
Supernova (r process)
Solar system
Planet density
Mass:
Mercury
0.33 E 24 kg
Venus
4.87 E 24 kg
Earth
5.98 E 24 kg
Mars
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 N
Tilt:
0º
177-178o
23o 27”
25o 12"
Rev:
0.24 yrs
0.62 yrs
365 days 5 hrs
1.88 years
Atmos: none
CO2
N2 with O2
CO2
Surface T: -184o C to 427o C 457o 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/s
5.02 km/s
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 Moon
Avg. distance = 380,000 km
(238,00 mi)
Surface
•Dust and orange glass –
meteoritic impact
•Basalt – dark colored rock
NASAGalileo
•Anorthosite – light colored
rock
•Breccias – mixed rock
•Impact Theory – Mars-sized object strikes Earth, ejects
lunar material
© 2006, NASA
Moon’s composition indicates that formation must occur
after partial differentiation of the earth
Lunar 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 Moon
Achondrite
fragments of the Moon and Mars
Not evidence of life
Allan Hills 84001
A fragment of Mars found in the
Antarctic ice. The concretions
generated vigorous debate - but
ultimately determined non-biogenic
Carbonate concretions
Mars topography
Rough south, smooth north
Twin Peaks
The view from Pathfinder, 1997
©2005, NASA - JPL
Spirit’s travels
MER-A Spirit
Currently, Spirit is crippled
by low output from its solar
array (Sol 1736)
The MER-A Spirit landed 1/4/2004 UTC
Images of Mars
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).
NASA/JPL/Cornell
Image Note: SolA_210_P2398_L257_Longhorn (jpg used)
Image Credit:
The long road
Spirits ascent up Husband Hill
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell/OSU/NMU
McMurdo Panorama
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: 1000
Image credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Earth-like processes
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.
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
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
MerB
Dune structures near Erebus - “color” image from Opportunity
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
Fluid origins
Hematite-rich soil includes rounded “blueberries” on plains of Anatolia.
Morphology suggested of fluid origins.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell
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
MSL 2009
Mars Science
Laboratory will
extend the
investigation
Eberswalde
Crater
Delta
Gale Crater
Holden crater
Mawrth Vallis
Mountains
Lake
Oddity
Asteroids
Smaller fragments of condensed solid matter
Most orbit sun between Mars and Jupiter
Infrequently impact planets
Drawing by EB Watson
NEA’s
http://near.jhuapl.edu/
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/orbits
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous
http://near.jhuapl.edu/
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous
Feb 12, 2001
A chilling vision of things to come…
2036 potential impact from
Asteroid Apophis (d = 390m)
April 13, 2029 enters lowearth 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…
Gas giants
Interior
Natural Satellites (Moons)
All planets beyond Venus have 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
New views from Cassini
Saturnian Rings
Ultraviolet reflectance from rings
- blue coloring in image indicates
ice (H2O-CO2)
Rings are stoney-icey
mini-moons trapped in
Saturn’s gravitational
field.
©2005, NASA - ESA - JPL
New views from Cassini
Saturnian moons
Iapetus
Pheobe
Rhea
©2005, NASA - ESA - JPL
Prometheus
(Shepard)
Icy Moons - CICLOPS
Dione above rings,
Saturn’s colors.
CICLOPS
Titan - Saturn’s largest satellite
Distance from Saturn
Distance from Sun
Diameter (atmosphere)
Diameter (surface)
Mass
Average density
Surface temperature
Atmos. P at surface
Atmos. composition
Orbital period
1 221 870 km
1 427 000 000 km (9.54 AU)
5550 km
5150 km
1/45 that of Earth
1.881 times liquid water
94K (-180 degrees C)
1500 mbar (1.5 times Earth's)
Nitrogen, methane, traces of
ammonia, argon, ethane
15.95 Earth days
©2005, European Space Agency
Huygens’ view on the way down
Approaching Titan
Titan appears to have a
dynamic surface.
©2005, European Space Agency
Huygens senses the surface
Earth-like dendritic
stream channels formed by liquid
methane
What is the source
of methane?
©2005, NASA - ESA - JPL
Lake-like features
Uranus & Neptune
Spectral analysis
Drawing by EB Watson
Kuiper belt objects
Charon
Pluto
Comets
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
Concentrated at the edge of solar system (Oort Cloud)
A few make closer orbits to the sun
Oort cloud
Drawing by EB Watson