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The Solar System

The Solar System. Terrestrial Planets. Earth. Average distance from the Sun: 1.00 AU Radius: 6,378 km Mass: 5.97 × 10 24 kg Avg. density: 5.52 g/cm 3 Composition: rocks, metals Average surface temperature: 290 K Satellites: 1. Earth’s Structure.

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The Solar System

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  1. The Solar System

  2. Terrestrial Planets

  3. Earth • Average distance from the Sun: 1.00 AU • Radius: 6,378 km • Mass: 5.97 × 1024kg • Avg. density: 5.52 g/cm3 • Composition: rocks, metals • Average surface temperature: 290 K • Satellites: 1

  4. Earth’s Structure • Core – highest-density material, mostly Ni & Fe • Mantle – moderate density, mostly Si, O, etc. • Crust – lowest-density rock, granite & basalt

  5. Structure

  6. Internal Heat Formation Geological Activity Convection and Cooling • Caused by accretion and collisions during formation • Also due to radioactive material • Differentiation

  7. Magnetic Field • Caused by the motion of charged particles in Earth’s molten outer core • Magnetosphere protects us from solar wind

  8. Shaping Earth’s Surface • Cratering • Volcanism • Tectonics • Erosion

  9. Earth’s Atmosphere • 77% N2, 21% O2 • Protection • X-rays are absorbed high up in the atmosphere • Ozone absorbs UV • Visible light gets through no problem

  10. Earth’s Atmosphere Scattering • Blue light is scattered more easily than red light • Sky is blue because sunlight gets scattered to your eye from all directions • Sun look red at sunrise/set because blue light gets scattered away

  11. Greenhouse Effect 5800 K H2O CO2 CH4 Visible Light IR Light 300 K Ground

  12. Geologically Dead Objects

  13. The Moon • Average distance from the Earth: 384,000 km • Radius: 1,700 km • Mass: 7.3 × 1022 kg • Avg. density: 3.35 g/cm3 • Period: 29.5 days

  14. Geological Features Lunar Maria Micrometeorites

  15. Mercury • Average distance from the Sun: 0.39 AU • Radius: 2,440 km = 0.38REarth • Mass: 0.055 MEarth • Avg. density: 5.43 g/cm3 • Composition: rocks, metals • Average surface temperature: 700 K day, 100 K night • Satellites: 0 • 88 day orbit, 59 day rotation

  16. Geological Features One giant crater called “Caloris Basin”

  17. Mars • Average distance from the Sun: 1.52 AU • Radius: 3,397 km = 0.53REarth • Mass: 0.11 MEarth • Avg. density: 3.93 g/cm3 • Composition: rocks, metals • Average surface temperature: 225 K • Satellites: 2

  18. Mars vs. Earth Similarities Differences More extreme seasons in southern hemisphere Polar caps contain CO2 Only about 1% of Earth’s atmosphere, which is CO2 Much colder • Day is about 25 hours long • Polar caps • Axis tilted about the same Perhaps it was more similar long ago

  19. Martian Geology

  20. Martian Geology • Polar ice caps • Higher elevation of southern hemisphere • Lack of craters in northern hemisphere • Tharsis Bulge, Valles Marineris

  21. Martian Geology • Olympus Mons • The largest volcano in the solar system • Base covers an area equal to Arizona • 26 km above average surface level, 3x the size of Mt. Everest

  22. Water on Mars • Today the surface temperature and pressure to too low for liquid water • Polar caps • Ground water • Evidence of ancient H2O • Dried Riverbeds • Maybe not • Signs of erosion

  23. What happened?

  24. Venus • Average distance from the Sun: 0.72 AU • Radius: 6,51 km = 0.95REarth • Mass: 0.82 MEarth • Avg. density: 5.24 g/cm3 • Composition: rocks, metals • Average surface temperature: 740 K • Satellites: 0

  25. Venusian Geology • Craters, volcanoes, tectonics somewhat similar to Earth • Coronae – bulges made by hot, rising plumes of mantle • No plate tectonics

  26. Venusian Atmosphere • Atmosphere about 90x as thick as Earths • Made up of about 96% carbon dioxide, but virtually no water • Why should the atmosphere be different from Earth’s?

  27. Why are the atmosphere’s different? Earth Venus Lacking water Explains why there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere: cannot dissolve and become rock Where did the water go? UV light breaks up molecule • Water rained into oceans • CO2 dissolved into water and then formed into carbonate rocks • Including the rocks, Earth has about as much carbon dioxide as Venus

  28. Runaway Greenhouse Effect

  29. Life What is necessary?

  30. A few examples • Liquid Water • Atmospheric Oxygen • Climate Stability • Planetary Size • Must be large enough so it doesn’t cool too quickly, preventing tectonics • Distance from Sun • Liquid Water

  31. The CO2 Cycle

  32. Global Climate Change

  33. Global Climate Change

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