Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2009-12-02
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Space Science Reviews, in press. Review based on work presented at the ISSI Workshop "Planetary Magnetism," in Bern, Switzerla
Scientific paper
We discuss our current understanding of the interior structure and thermal evolution of giant planets. This includes the gas giants, such as Jupiter and Saturn, that are primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, as well as the "ice giants," such as Uranus and Neptune, which are primarily composed of elements heavier than H/He. The effect of different hydrogen equations of state (including new first-principles computations) on Jupiter's core mass and heavy element distribution is detailed. This variety of the hydrogen equations of state translate into an uncertainty in Jupiter's core mass of 18 M_Earth. For Uranus and Neptune we find deep envelope metallicities up to 0.95, perhaps indicating the existence of an eroded core, as also supported by their low luminosity. We discuss the results of simple cooling models of our solar system's planets, and show that more complex thermal evolution models may be necessary to understand their cooling history. We review how measurements of the masses and radii of the ~50 transiting extrasolar giant planets are changing our understanding of giant planets. In particular a fraction of these planets appear to be larger than can be accommodated by standard models of planetary contraction. We review the proposed explanations for the radii of these planets. We also discuss very young giant planets, which are being directly imaged with ground- and space-based telescopes.
Fortney Jonathan J.
Nettelmann Nadine
No associations
LandOfFree
The Interior Structure, Composition, and Evolution of Giant Planets does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Interior Structure, Composition, and Evolution of Giant Planets, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Interior Structure, Composition, and Evolution of Giant Planets will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-516398