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Physics 320: Astronomy and Astrophysics – Lecture XII

Physics 320: Astronomy and Astrophysics – Lecture XII. Carsten Denker Physics Department Center for Solar–Terrestrial Research. Problem 18.1. Problem 18.5. Problem 18.7. The Terrestrial Planets. Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars.

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Physics 320: Astronomy and Astrophysics – Lecture XII

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  1. Physics 320: Astronomy and Astrophysics – Lecture XII Carsten Denker Physics Department Center for Solar–Terrestrial Research

  2. Problem 18.1 NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  3. Problem 18.5 NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  4. Problem 18.7 NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  5. The Terrestrial Planets • Mercury • Venus • Earth • The Moon • Mars NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  6. The four terrestrial planets are small, rocky, and rotate slowly  cf. moons @ 0.34 AU Kepler’s laws break down  Einstein’s theory of special relativity Eccentricity of orbit: e = 0.206 Rotation period: T = 58.65 days  Doppler effect Orbital period: 87.97 days = 3/2 T Mariner 10 found strong resemblance to the moon Proximity to Sun and size  very tenuous atmosphere Mercury NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  7. Mercury and Caloris Basin NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  8. Tidal Evolution Strongest tidal force at perihelion Energy dissipation due to friction Circularization of Mercury’s orbit 3-to-2 spin-orbit coupling become instable 1-to-1 resonance of synchronous rotation 3-to-2 Spin-Orbit Coupling NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  9. Earth’s sister planet Mass: 0.82 MEarth Radius: 0.95 REarth Retrograde atmospheric circulation (100 m/s at cloud tops near equator) Hadley cells (“y”-shaped cloud pattern at equator) Retrograde rotation of the planet Sidereal rotation period: 243 days Orbital period: 224.7 days Venus NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  10. Phases NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  11. 96.4% carbon dioxide CO2 3.4% molecular nitrogen N2 Traces of sulfur dioxide SO2, water H2O, and clouds of sulfuric acid Temperature 740 K and pressure 90 atm at base of atmosphere Optically thick in the infrared Volcanism and/or material delivered by comets and meteorites Atmosphere NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  12. Greenhouse Effect NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  13. Surface NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  14. Condensation of water forms oceans early in the history of Earth No conversion of liquid water into vapor! Carbon dioxide dissolved in water or chemically bound, e.g., carbonate rocks 72% molecular nitrogen N2 21% molecular oxygen O2 1% water H2O Traces of argon AR, carbon dioxide CO2, … Photosynthesis: CO2  organic materials + O2 Increase of greenhouse gases Annual oscillation of CO2 due to vegetation cycles Rainforest Ozone O3 layer Earth NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  15. Structure and Atmosphere NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  16. Gravity Map of Earth NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  17. Methane Earth Recent evidence holds that methane (CH4) is second only to carbon dioxide (CO2) in creating a warming greenhouse effect but is easier to control. Atmospheric methane has doubled over the past 200 years, and its smothering potency is over 20 times that of CO2. NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  18. Seismic Activity NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  19. Moon quakes due to tidal strain (magnitude 1 on Richter scale) The Moon’s “ringing” after being struck by meteorites Craters and maria “seas” Crust is thinner on near side Moon NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  20. Structure and Formation NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  21. Radioactive Dating NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  22. “Canali” Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli (1835 – 1910) Lowell (1855 – 1916) observatory, Flagstaff, AZ Intelligent life on Mars? LGM? (H. G. Wells “War of the Worlds” broadcasted on October 30th, 1938) Surface temperature: 140° C to 20° C 95% carbon dioxide CO2 2.7% molecular nitrogen N2 Atmospheric pressure: 0.001 atm Water in layers of permafrost or frozen in polar ice caps Polar caps predominantly “dry ice” frozen carbon dioxide General relativity required to explain tilt of Mars spin axis No large Moon! Mars NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  23. Atmosphere and Volcanism NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  24. Deimos and Phobos NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  25. Ancient Streams and Dunes NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  26. (Happy) Faces and Hearts NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  27. Homework Class Project • Continue improving the PPT presentation. • Use the abstract from the previous assignment as a starting point for a PowerPoint presentation. • The PPT presentation should have between 5 and 10 slides. • Bring a print-out of the draft version to the next class as a discussion template for group work • Homework is due Wednesday December 3rd, 2003! It would be good to have your final versions by then in order to have the final grades on December 10th, 2003. • Exhibition name competition (Final)! NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

  28. Homework • No homework!!! • The Final Exam will be due on December 3rd, 2003 at the beginning of the lecture. • Please feel free to contact me with any questions concerning the final exam. NJIT Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

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