Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufm.p51a1172s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P51A-1172
Physics
6040 Origin And Evolution, 6205 Asteroids, 8147 Planetary Interiors (5430, 5724, 6024)
Scientific paper
Spectral evidence from asteroids and the mineralogy of meteorites derived from the asteroid belt indicate that the bodies in this region demonstrate a wide range of thermal histories, from an undifferentiated mixture of rock, metal and ice to the core-mantle-crust structure of terrestrial planets. The largest object in the Asteroid Belt, the dwarf planet Ceres, has a density indicating a large volume fraction of water or ice, while the surface albedo and reflectance spectra do not indicate ice at the surface. Recent thermal models (McCord and Sotin, ) and geodetic studies (Thomas, ) indicate that Ceres has undergone at least some differentation of it's water component. Vesta, which is smaller but closer to the Sun, has a density indicating no significant water component, and a surface spectra indicating significant partial melting of silicates. We have developed a simple 1-D numerical thermal model of an evolving asteroid. We assume an initially homogenous mixture of ice and rock. Upon heating and melting, the water migrates upward, while the remaining solid compacts until the volume fraction of rock reaches a close-packing limit for solid grains (\~70%). The upward migrating water collects at the base of any unmelted ice/rock crust. The formation of a global ocean, it's depth and duration will depend upon the three characteristics of the asteroid that control the thermal evolution: size, the initial ice/rock ratio, and the amount of short-lived heat production (through decay of ^{26}Al).
Farrell L. L.
McGary S.
Sparks David W.
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