ASTA01H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Galilean Moons, Rings Of Saturn, Tidal Acceleration
Document Summary
The composition of the moons of jovian planets varies as we move from one planet to another. This is a consequence of change of temperature and the material condensed from the original solar nebula. The density of the galilean moons fall as one moves outward from io. These moons are tidally locked to jupiter, i. e. they always show the same face to jupiter. This behaviour is also known as synchronous rotation. Tidal locking results when the rotation period is equal to orbital period. Given the size of the galilean moons, one expects that they must have no internal heat. Our view signi cantly changed when voyager 1 photographed an active volcano on io. The source of internal heat of io is a process called tidal heating. Io"s proximity to jupiter as well as its slightly elliptical orbit causes io to be constantly. Exed in different directions and thus generates a lot of tidal friction inside io.
