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Characterizing the Structure of Giant Planets
Author(s) -
Fortney J. J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
contributions to plasma physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0863-1042
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.201300001
Subject(s) - uranus , planet , exoplanet , neptune , giant planet , gas giant , astrobiology , physics , saturn , jupiter (rocket family) , astronomy , outer planets , planetary system , space exploration
Advances in understanding the structure of giant planets are happening quickly on multiple fronts. New first‐principles equations of state calculations and cutting edge experiments for hydrogen, helium, water, and other planetary materials, are dramatically changing our view of the interior structure and thermal evolution of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The field of transiting exoplanets has led to the addition of over 200 giant planets that can be studied is some detail, as their masses, radii, and bulk densities can be measured. This opens up the possibility of comparing and contrasting our own giant planets to these exoplanets, to better understand giant plants as a class of astrophysical object. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)