The coupled orbital and thermal evolution of Triton

Details The coupled orbital and thermal evolution of Triton The coupled orbital and thermal evolution of Triton

Sep 1990

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990georl..17.1749r&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276), vol. 17, Sept. 1990, p. 1749-1752. Research supported by the Aerospace Corp.

Physics

11

Planetary Evolution, Planetary Orbits, Temperature Dependence, Triton, Heat Sources, Lithosphere, Satellite Surfaces

Scientific paper

The coupled orbital and thermal evolution of Triton is simulated with a model of the satellite having temperature-dependent k/Q (k is the second degree Love number and Q is the tidal dissipation factor). Large changes in orbital and interior properties occur in a short time span of less than 10 to the 8th years. The peak tidal heating rate exceeds the radioactive heating rate by a factor of at least 1000. The ability of tidal heating to overwhelm solid state convection and cause global melting is unequivocally demonstrated. Triton's initial thermal state and composition are shown to control the length of time that passes between capture from heliocentric orbit and the occurrene of swift and dramatic changes in orbital and internal properties. This time interval could have been several billion years.

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