Formation of the Solar System in Two Distinct Planetary Populations (IMAGE)

University of Oxford

Formation of the Solar System in Two Distinct Planetary Populations

Caption

The inner terrestrial protoplanets accrete early, inherit a substantial amount of radioactive 26Al, and hence melt, form iron cores, and degas their primordial volatile abundances rapidly. The outer Solar System planets start to accrete later and further out with less radiogenic heating, and hence retain the majority of their initially accreted volatiles.

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Mark A Garlick/markgarlick.com

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