EASC 108 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Planetary Nebula, Solar Wind, Aurora

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Earth Sciences
• Course: EASC 108
• Professor: Glyn Williams- Jones

Document Summary

Jovian planets can be roughly divided into 2 groups. Jupiter and saturn = roughly save size ( large ~10 rearth), similar reddish/brownish colour. Uranus and neptune similar in size ( ~4 rearth) similar blueish colour. Gas giants with no solid surfaces, no cratering ( no record of age ) , no tectonics. Distance of planets from sun roughly determine final mass and size. The closer to sun, more available material to accrete to form larger planet. Planets closer to sun probably grew the fastest. Planet formation process ended at same time for all planets , when solar winds cleared the planetary nebula. High mass and gravity allowed them to draw in and hold onto large amounts of h and he gas. Icy component makes up larger fraction of mass for planets farther away from the sun. Density of jovian planets should increase the farther away the planet is from the sun (except jupiter)