Thermal evolution of planetary size bodiesThe size dependence of planetary thermal evolution is investigated through calculations which take into account the effects of heat source differentiation and convection. The theoretical computations make use of hypothetical bodies for minor planets; Mercury, Venus and Mars are employed to represent the size spectrum of the inner planets. If started at a cold initial condition, an object with a radius less than 1000 km is unlikely to reach melting. Accretional heating, inductive heating and short half-life radioactive heating are among the mechanisms which may produce early melting and differentiation in larger planets. Core formation in Mercury and Venus is also discussed.
Document ID
19780057669
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Hsui, A. T. (Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Cambridge, MA, United States)
Toksoz, M. N. (MIT Cambridge, Mass., United States)