Open AccessComments on the differentiation of icy satetlites
Author(s) -
Cole G. H. A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1984.tb01948.x
Subject(s) - planet , homogeneous , basis (linear algebra) , geology , internal energy , astrobiology , gravitation , geophysics , physics , classical mechanics , astrophysics , mathematics , statistical physics , geometry , thermodynamics
Summary. The arguments of a previous paper by Cole are applied to the study of the internal constitution of the icy satellites of the major planets supposed composed of a mixture of rock and ice. The conditions are considered for differentiation with gravitation as the source of energy. It is found on this basis that the largest satellites could be entirely differentiated whereas the smallest ones are unlikely to be if the initial structure were a homogeneous mixture of materials. Satellites of intermediate size could be partially differentiated. Numerical estimates of the internal structures are given.