Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-h4f6x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-11T01:11:10.500Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

1 - The planets: their formation and differentiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2009

S. Ross Taylor  and
Scott McLennan
S. Ross Taylor
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Scott McLennan
Affiliation:
State University of New York, Stony Brook
Get access

Summary

Alphonso, King of Castille, … was ill seconded by the astronomers whom he had assembled at considerable expence (sic)…. Endowed with a correct judgement, Alphonso was shocked at the confusion of the circles, in which the celestial bodies were supposed to move. ‘If the Deity’ said he, ‘had asked my advice, these things would have been better arranged’

(Pierre-Simon Laplace)

Planetary formation

Although this book is concerned with the crusts of the solid bodies in the Solar System, it is necessary to delve a little deeper into the interiors of the planets, to see how the planets themselves came to be formed and why they differ from one another. It is only possible to understand why and how crusts form on planets if we understand the reasons how these bodies came to be there in the first place and why they are all different from one another. Following 40 years of exploration of our own Solar System, the discovery of over 200 planets orbiting stars other than the Sun has brought the question of planetary origin and evolution into sharp focus. The detailed study of planets is in fact a very late event in science and has required the prior development of many other disciplines.

This highlights a basic problem in dealing with planets, at least in our Solar System, that are all quite different, so that it is difficult to extract some general principles that might be applicable to all of them.

Information

Type
Chapter
Information
Planetary Crusts
Their Composition, Origin and Evolution
 , pp. 5 - 31
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Laplace, P. S. (1809) The System of the World (trans. Pond, J.), Richard Phillips, Book 2, p. 293Google Scholar
Ranen, M. C. and Jacobsen, S. (2006) Barium isotopes in chondritic meteorites: Implications for planetary reservoir models. Science 314, 809–12CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Andreasen, R. and Sharma, M. (2006) Solar nebula heterogeneity in p-process samarium and neodymium isotopes. Science 314, 806–809CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meteorites and the Early Solar System II (eds. Lauretta, D. S. and McSween, H. Y., 2006), University of Arizona PressGoogle Scholar
Protostars and Planets IV (eds. Mannings, V.et al., 2000), University of Arizona PressGoogle Scholar
Meteorites, Comets and Planets. Treatise on Geochemistry, vol. 1 (ed. Davis, A. M., 2004), ElsevierGoogle Scholar
Origin of the Earth and Moon (eds. Canup, R. M. and Righter, K., 2000), University of Arizona PressGoogle Scholar
Chondrules and the Protoplanetary Disk (eds. Hewins, R. H.et al., 1996), Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Encyclopedia of the Solar System, 2nd edn. (eds. Weissman, P. R.et al., 2007), Academic Press–ElsevierGoogle Scholar
Haisch, K. E.et al. (2001) Disk frequencies and lifetimes in young clusters. Astrophys. J. 553, L153–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guillot, T.et al. (2004) The interior of Jupiter, in Jupiter (eds. Bagenal, F.et al.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 35–57Google Scholar
Pickett, M. K. and Durisen, R. H. (2007) Numerical viscosity and the survival of gas giant protoplanets in disk simulations. Astrophys. J. 654, L155–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thommes, E. W.et al. (2002) The formation of Uranus and Neptune among Jupiter and Saturn. Astron. J. 121, 2862–83CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stevenson, D. J. and Lunine, J. I. (1988) Rapid formation of Jupiter by diffuse redistribution of water vapor in the solar nebula. Icarus 75, 146–155CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, S. R. (2001) Solar System Evolution: A New Perspective, Cambridge University PressCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lunine, J. I.et al. (2004) The origin of Jupiter, in Jupiter (eds. Bagenal, F.et al.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 19–34Google Scholar
Guillot, T.et al. (2004) The interior of Jupiter, in Jupiter (eds. Bagenal, F.et al.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 35–57Google Scholar
Wänke, H. and Dreibus, G. (1988) Chemical composition and accretion history of the terrestrial planets. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. London A325, 545–57CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLennan, S. M. (2003) Large-ion lithophile element fractionation during the early differentiation of Mars and the composition of the Martian primitive mantle. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 38, 895–904CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, G. J.et al. (2006) Bulk composition and early differentiation of Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research 111Google Scholar
Valenti, J. A. (1993) T Tauri stars in blue. Astron. J. 106, 2024–50CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartmann, L. (1998) Accretion and evolution of T Tauri stars. Astrophys. J. 495, 385–400CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shu, F.et al. (1996) Toward an astrophysical theory of chondrites. Science 271, 1545–52CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cielsa, F. (2007) Outward transport of high-temperature materials around the mid-plane of the solar nebula. Science 318, 613–15Google Scholar
Yin, Q.-C. (2005) From dust to planets: The tale told by moderately volatile elements, in Chondrites and the Protoplanetary Disk. Astronomical Society Pacific Conference Series 341, pp. 632–44Google Scholar
Kleine, T.et al. (2005) Early core formation in asteroids and late accretion of chondrite parent bodies: Evidence from 182Hf–182W in CAIs, metal rich chondrites and iron meteorites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 69, 5805–18CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chambers, J. E. (2004) Planetary accretion in the inner solar system. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 223, 241–52CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lunine, J. I.et al. (2004) The origin of Jupiter, in Jupiter (eds. Bagenal, F.et al.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 19–34Google Scholar
Raymond, S. N. (2006) High-resolution simulations of the final assembly of Earth-like planets I. Terrestrial accretion and dynamics. Icarus 183, 265–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raymond, S. N.et al. (2007) High-resolution simulations of the final assembly of Earth-like planets 2: water delivery and planetary habitability. Astrobiol. 7, 66–84CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, S. R. and Norman, M. D. (1990) Accretion of differentiated planetesimals to the Earth, in Origin of the Earth (eds. Newsom, H. E. and Jones, J. H.), Oxford University Press, pp. 29–43Google Scholar
Mittlefehldt, D. W.et al. (1998) Non-chondritic meteorites from asteroidal bodies, in Planetary Materials (ed. Papike, J. J.) Rev. Mineral. 36, Mineralology Society of America, pp. 4.103–4.130
Carlson, R. W. and Lugmair, G. W. (2000) Timescales of planetesimal formation and differentiation based on extinct and extant radioisotopes, in Origin of the Earth and Moon (eds. Canup, R. and Righter, K.), University of Arizona Press, pp. 25–44Google Scholar
Amelin, Y.et al. (2002) Lead isotopic ages of chondrules and calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions. Science 297, 1678–83CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Canup, R. and Asphaug, E. (2001) Origin of the Moon in a giant impact near the end of the Earth's formation. Nature 412, 708–12CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canup, R. M. (2004) Dynamics of lunar formation. Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 42, 441–75CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Halliday, A. N. and Kleine, T. (2006) Meteorites and the timing, mechanisms and conditions of terrestrial planet accretion and early differentiation, in Meteorites and the Early Solar System II (eds. Lauretta, D. S. and McSween, H. Y.), University of Arizona Press, pp. 775–801Google Scholar
Halliday, A. N.et al. (2000) Tungsten isotopes, the timing of metal–silicate fractionation, and the origin of the Earth and Moon, in Origin of the Earth and Moon (eds. Canup, R. and Righter, K.), University of Arizona Press, pp. 45–62Google Scholar
Jacobsen, S. (2005) The Hf–W isotopic system and the origin of the Earth and Moon. Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 33, 531–70CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleine, T.et al. (2005) Hf–W chronometry and the age and early differentiation of the Moon. Science 310, 1671–4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Touboul, M.et al. (2007) Late formation and prolonged differentiation of the Moon inferred from W isotopes in lunar metals. Nature 450, 1206–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kramers, J. D. (2007) Hierarchical Earth accretion and the Hadean Eon. J. Geol. Soc. London 164, p. 11CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lissauer, J. J. (1999) Chaotic motion in the solar system. Rev. Modern Phys. 71, 835–45CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canup, R. and Agnor, C. B. (2000) Accretion of the terrestrial planets and the Earth–Moon system, in Origin of the Earth and Moon (eds. Canup, R. and Righter, K.), University of Arizona Press, p. 113Google Scholar
Levison, H.et al. (1998) Modeling the diversity of outer planetary systems. Astron. J. 116, 1998–2014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Drake, M. J. and Righter, K. (2002) Determining the composition of the Earth. Nature 416, 39–44CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ikoma, M. and Genda, H. (2006) Constraints on the mass of a habitable planet with water of nebular origin. Astrophys. J. 648, 696–706CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morbidelli, A.et al. (2000) Source regions and time scales for the delivery of water to Earth. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 35, 1309–20CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lunine, J. I.et al. (2004) The origin of Jupiter, in Jupiter (eds. Bagenal, F.et al.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 19–34Google Scholar
Lunine, J. L. (2006) Origin of water ice in the solar system, in Meteorites and the Early Solar System II (eds. Lauretta, D. S. and McSween, H. Y.), University of Arizona Press, pp. 309–319Google Scholar
Raymond, S. N.et al. (2007) High-resolution simulations of the final assembly of Earth-like planets 2: Water delivery and planetary habitability. Astrobiol. 7, 66–84CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kasting, J. F. and Howard, M. T. (2006) Atmospheric composition and climate on the early Earth. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B361, 1731–42Google Scholar
Lunine, J. I. (2006) Physical conditions on the early Earth. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. B361, 1721–31CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canup, R. M. and Ward, W. R. (2002) Formation of the Galilean satellites: Conditions of accretion. Astron. J. 124, 3404–23CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canup, R. M and Ward, W. R. (2006) A common mass scaling for satellite systems of giant planets. Nature 441, 834–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, S. R. (1999) On the difficulties of making Earth-like planets. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 34, 317–29CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, S. R. (1998) Destiny or Chance: Our Solar System and its Place in the Cosmos, Cambridge University PressGoogle Scholar
Goldschmidt, V. M. (1954) Geochemistry, Oxford University PressGoogle Scholar
Righter, K.et al. (2006) Compositional relationships between meteorites and terrestrial planets, in Meteorites and the Early Solar System II (eds. Lauretta, D. S. and McSween, H. Y.), University of Arizona Press, pp. 803–28Google Scholar
Javoy, M. (1995) The integral enstatite chondrite model of the Earth. Geophysical Research Letters 22, 2219–22CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stacey, F. D. (2005) High pressure equations of state and planetary interiors. Rep. Prog. Phys. 68, 341–83CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, S. R. (1989) Growth of planetary crusts. Tectonophysics 161, 147–56CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, S. R. (1994) Large scale basaltic volcanism on the Moon, Mars and Venus, in Volcanism (Radhakrishna Vol.) (ed. Subbarao, K. V.), Wiley Eastern, pp. 2–20Google Scholar
Head, J. W. and Coffin, M. F. (1997) Large igneous provinces: A planetary perspective, in Large Igneous Provinces: Continental, Oceanic and Planetary Flood Volcanism. American Geophysical Union, Geophysical Monograph 100, pp. 411–38Google Scholar
McWilliam, A. (1997) Abundance ratios and galactic chemical evolution. Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 35, 503–56CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Accessibility standard: Unknown

Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×