Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Feb 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010pdac.book..299c&link_type=abstract
Protoplanetary Dust: Astrophysical and Cosmochemical Perspectives, eds.: D. Apai, D. S. Lauretta, 2010, Cambridge University Pre
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
2
Planet Formation, Rocky Planets, Asteroids, Composition, Oligarchs, Planetary Embryos, Runaway Growth, Asteroid Belt, Migration, Chemical Evolution, Proto-Solar Nebula, Protoplanetary Disk, Chondrites, Meteorites
Scientific paper
Here we describe the formation of rocky planets and asteroids in the context of the planetesimal hypothesis. Small dust grains in protoplanetary disks readily stick together forming mm-to-cm-sized aggregates, many of which experience brief heating episodes causing melting. Growth to km-sized planetesimals might proceed via continued pairwise sticking, turbulent concentration, or gravitational instability of a thin particle layer. Gravitational interactions between planetesimals lead to rapid runaway and oligarchic growth forming lunar-to-Mars-sized protoplanets in 10^5 to 10^6 years. Giant impacts between protoplanets form Earth-mass planets in 10^7 to 10^8 years, and occasionally lead to the formation of large satellites. Protoplanets may migrate far from their formation locations due to tidal interactions with the surrounding disk. Radioactive decay and impact heating cause melting and differentiation of planetesimals and protoplanets, forming iron-rich cores and silicate mantles, and leading to some loss of volatiles. Dynamical perturbations from giant planets eject most planetesimals and protoplanets from regions near orbital resonances, leading to asteroid-belt formation. Some of this scattered material will collide with growing terrestrial planets, altering their composition as a result. Numerical simulations and radioisotope dating indicate that the terrestrial planets of the Solar System were essentially fully formed in 100-200 million years.
Chambers John E.
Davis Andrew M.
O'Brien David Patrick
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