EPSC 180 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Magnesium Sulfate, Olivine, Spectroscopy
1 May 2016
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White spot, seen and found by dawn probe that was sent out: spectroscopy of reflected sunlight identified materials: spot made of magnesium sulphate. Could have lakes made of methane, maybe frozen surfaces (???) Ice make up hard rocks that make up surface of planet. Most of solar system made up of hydrogen and helium. Based on limited knowledge of earth we have. If all water were to spread across all of earth (w/ no continents, mountains, etc. Outer crust: outer crust of earth averages around 33 km thick. Deepest interior area of earth as hot as surface of sun. Mantle: chemical composition of mantle like that of iron depleted olivine. Not much potassium b/c incompatible w/ iron (only 0. 03%) Potassium 40 decays into argon 40 and carbon 40. Mantle of earth still has substantial amount of potassium in it.
