geol 3045: planetary geology lysa chizmadia saturn lysa chizmadia saturn
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GEOL 3045: Planetary GeologyGEOL 3045: Planetary Geology
Lysa ChizmadiaSaturn
Lysa ChizmadiaSaturn
IntroductionIntroduction 2nd largest planet
– Sixth from Sun (or seventh) Eccentricity = 0.056
– 9.0 - 10.1 AU Axial Tilt = 25.3º
– Earth = 23.5º Orbital period = 29.5 years Rotational period = 10.2 hours (2nd fastest) Mass = 5.69 x 1026 kg
– ~95 Earths Volume = 8.27 x 1014 km3
– ~763 Earths Average = 0.69 g/cm3
= 5.52 g/cm3 (lowest density in solar system) At least 63 moons
2nd largest planet– Sixth from Sun (or seventh)
Eccentricity = 0.056– 9.0 - 10.1 AU
Axial Tilt = 25.3º– Earth = 23.5º
Orbital period = 29.5 years Rotational period = 10.2 hours (2nd fastest) Mass = 5.69 x 1026 kg
– ~95 Earths Volume = 8.27 x 1014 km3
– ~763 Earths Average = 0.69 g/cm3
= 5.52 g/cm3 (lowest density in solar system) At least 63 moons
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn
Image from: http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.html
Internal StructureInternal Structure Atmosphere (59.5 km):
– ~93% H & ~7% He Depleted in He relative to solar
Molecular Hydrogen upper mantle– >100,000 bars– Earth atmosphere ~1 bar
Metallic Hydrogen lower mantle– >1,000,000 bars– Liquid H lower mantle
H nuclei do not have lattice order
Rocky-Ice Core:– 9-22 x Earth
Atmosphere (59.5 km):– ~93% H & ~7% He
Depleted in He relative to solar
Molecular Hydrogen upper mantle– >100,000 bars– Earth atmosphere ~1 bar
Metallic Hydrogen lower mantle– >1,000,000 bars– Liquid H lower mantle
H nuclei do not have lattice order
Rocky-Ice Core:– 9-22 x Earth
Image from: http://solarviews.com/eng/saturn.htm
AtmosphereAtmosphere Structure:
– Upper clouds: NH3 crystals
– Lower clouds: NH4SH and H2O
Winds among the highest in Solar System– < 500 m/s (~1800 km/h)
Northern hemisphere blue ~ Uranus
With trace amounts of: NH3, C2H2, C2H6, PH3, CH4
Structure:– Upper clouds: NH3 crystals
– Lower clouds: NH4SH and H2O
Winds among the highest in Solar System– < 500 m/s (~1800 km/h)
Northern hemisphere blue ~ Uranus
With trace amounts of: NH3, C2H2, C2H6, PH3, CH4
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn
Hexagonal Cloud Rotation in N pole
Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/saturn.htm
True color of N pole
CloudsClouds Ices in clouds:
– H2O, NH3, NH4SH Similar to Jupiter
– Average cloud T: - 185ºC Colder than Jupiter
Bands due to circulation zones– Tropical zones– Wider than Jupiter
Winds up to 500 m/s Great White Spot:
– Occurs once every Saturnian year ~ every 30 y
– Next one in 2020
Ices in clouds:– H2O, NH3, NH4SH
Similar to Jupiter
– Average cloud T: - 185ºC Colder than Jupiter
Bands due to circulation zones– Tropical zones– Wider than Jupiter
Winds up to 500 m/s Great White Spot:
– Occurs once every Saturnian year ~ every 30 y
– Next one in 2020Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/saturn.htm
Image from: http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.html
RingsRings Brightest of gas giants Discovered in 1610 by
Galileo Structure:
– <1 km thick
Brightest of gas giants Discovered in 1610 by
Galileo Structure:
– <1 km thick
Images from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn
Spokes in Rings
Ring over Titan & Enceladus
Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/saturn.htm
Rings edge-on
Image from: http://www.nineplanets.org/saturn.html
MagnetosphereMagnetosphere ~ magnitude of Earth’s
– 1/20th of Jupiter’s Simple dipole Extends slightly past
orbit of Titan– 1.22 x 106 km
Probably produced by currents in liquid metallic H
~ magnitude of Earth’s – 1/20th of Jupiter’s
Simple dipole Extends slightly past
orbit of Titan– 1.22 x 106 km
Probably produced by currents in liquid metallic H
Saturnian auroral emissions
Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/saturn.htm
Heat OutputHeat Output Radiates more Q than
receives from Sun– Due to contraction (shrinks
~2 cm/yr)– He raining out of the
atmosphere N hemisphere twice as hot
as S hemisphere
Radiates more Q than receives from Sun– Due to contraction (shrinks
~2 cm/yr)– He raining out of the
atmosphere N hemisphere twice as hot
as S hemisphere
Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/saturn.htm
Thermal view of Saturn
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn
Thermal emissions
SummarySummary 2nd largest planet in solar system
– Very fast rotation (day) Atmosphere has fastest winds in solar
system Interior P & T high
– Liquid metallic H mantle Rings have high albedo = icy dust Radiates more heat than receives from
Sun– Due to contraction & He rain– N hemisphere hotter than S hemisphere
2nd largest planet in solar system– Very fast rotation (day)
Atmosphere has fastest winds in solar system
Interior P & T high– Liquid metallic H mantle
Rings have high albedo = icy dust Radiates more heat than receives from
Sun– Due to contraction & He rain– N hemisphere hotter than S hemisphere