ASTRONOMY 3: Introductory Astronomy: The Solar System
Winter 2012
Winter 2012
Diverse geological characteristics among terrestrial planets
Probing the internal structure with P and S seismic waves
Wave length, amplitude, frequency, and speed
propagation of seismic waves through planetary interior
core and mantle structure, solid or liquid phase
three major heating mechanisms: accretion, differentiation, radioactive decay
three heat transfer processes: convection, conduction, and radiation
Surface Features
mountain range, convection and tectonic
rotating core & geodynamo generation of magnetic field
surface cooling and volcanism
dependence of cooling rate on the planet's size
Surface features
impact versus volcanic craters
crater structure and surface composition
erosion of meteorite craters on the earth.
water and wind erosion
Crater density
delcining bombardment rate with age
distribution of crater sizes
distribution of asteroid sizes
late bombardment at 3.8 Gyr