Mapping the nebular condensates and the chemical composition of the terrestrial planets (original) (raw)
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Chemical and Isotopic Evolution of the Solar Nebula and Protoplanetary Disks
2010
In this chapter we review recent advances in our understanding of the chemical and isotopic evolution of protoplanetary disks and the solar nebula. Current observational and meteoritic constraints on physical conditions and chemical composition of gas and dust in these systems are presented. A variety of chemical and photochemical processes that occur in planet-forming zones and beyond, in both gas phase and on grain surfaces, are overviewed. The discussion is based upon radio-interferometric, meteoritic, space-born, and laboratory-based observations,measurements and theories. Linkage between cosmochemical and astrochemical data are presented, and interesting research puzzles are discussed.
American Mineralogist
The evolutionary system of mineralogy relies on varied physical and chemical attributes, including trace elements, isotopes, solid and fluid inclusions, and other information-rich characteristics, to understand processes of mineral formation and to place natural condensed phases in the deep-time context of planetary evolution. Part I of this system reviewed the earliest refractory phases that condense at T > 1000 K within the turbulent expanding and cooling atmospheres of highly evolved stars. Part II considers the subsequent formation of primary crystalline and amorphous phases by condensation in three distinct mineral-forming environments, each of which increased mineralogical diversity and distribution prior to the accretion of planetesimals > 4.5 billion years ago: 1) Interstellar molecular solids: Varied crystalline and amorphous molecular solids containing primarily H, C, O, and N are observed to condense in cold, dense molecular clouds in the interstellar medium (10 < T < 20 K; P < 10-13 atm). With the possible exception of some nano-scale organic condensates preserved in carbonaceous meteorites, the existence of This is a preprint, the final version is subject to change, of the American Mineralogist (MSA) Cite as Authors (Year) Title. American Mineralogist, in press.
Chemical differentiation of planets: a core issue
Prevalent theories of the Solar System formation minimize the role of matter ionization and magnetic field in the Solar nebula. Here we propose that a magnetically driven chemical gradient at the scale of the Solar nebula predates radial chemical differentiation of each planet. We report an observed correlation between the first ionization potentials of the elements and their abundances on Earth surface relative to Sun, interpreted as a Boltzmann distribution depending on the distance from the Sun. This predictive model for distribution of the elements in the Solar System is successfully tested for relative abundance data from CI chondrites, Moon, Mars and Venus. Deviations from the proposed law for a given planet correspond to surface segregation of elements following periodic trends. Bulk Earth would have included up to 18%wt H, with definite consequences on theories about inner Earth composition. From this model, a new picture of the Solar System emerges.
Connecting planet formation and astrochemistry
Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2019
To understand the role that planet formation history has on the observable atmospheric carbon-to-oxygen ratio (C/O) we have produced a population of astrochemically evolving protoplanetary disks. Based on the parameters used in a pre-computed population of growing planets, their combination allows us to trace the molecular abundances of the gas that is being collected into planetary atmospheres. We include atmospheric pollution of incoming (icy) planetesimals as well as the effect of refractory carbon erosion noted to exist in our own solar system. We find that the carbon and oxygen content of Neptune-mass planets are determined primarily through solid accretion and result in more oxygen-rich (by roughly two orders of magnitude) atmospheres than hot Jupiters, whose C/O are primarily determined by gas accretion. Generally we find a "main sequence" between the fraction of planetary mass accreted through solid accretion and the resulting atmospheric C/O; planets of higher solid accretion fraction have lower C/O. Hot Jupiters whose atmospheres have been chemically characterized agree well with our population of planets, and our results suggest that hot-Jupiter formation typically begins near the water ice line. Lower mass hot Neptunes are observed to be much more carbon rich (with 0.33 C/O 1) than is found in our models (C/O ∼ 10 −2), and suggest that some form of chemical processing may affect their observed C/O over the few billion years between formation and observation. Our population reproduces the general mass-metallicity trend of the solar system and qualitatively reproduces the C/O metallicity anti-correlation that has been inferred for the population of characterized exoplanetary atmospheres.
Chemical composition of Earth-like planets
arXiv: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, 2015
Models of planet formation are mainly focused on the accretion and dynamical processes of the planets, neglecting their chemical composition. In this work, we calculate the condensation sequence of the different chemical elements for a low-mass protoplanetary disk around a solar-type star. We incorporate this sequence of chemical elements (refractory and volatile elements) in our semi-analytical model of planet formation which calculates the formation of a planetary system during its gaseous phase. The results of the semi-analytical model (final distributions of embryos and planetesimals) are used as initial conditions to develope N-body simulations that compute the post-oligarchic formation of terrestrial-type planets. The results of our simulations show that the chemical composition of the planets that remain in the habitable zone has similar characteristics to the chemical composition of the Earth. However, exist differences that can be associated to the dynamical environment in ...
Dust Condensation in Evolving Discs and the Composition of Meteorites, Planetesimals, and Planets
arXiv (Cornell University), 2019
Partial condensation of dust from the Solar nebula is likely responsible for the diverse chemical compositions of chondrites and rocky planets/planetesimals in the inner Solar system. We present a forward physical-chemical model of a protoplanetary disc to predict the chemical compositions of planetary building blocks that may form from such a disc. Our model includes the physical evolution of the disc and the condensation, partial advection, and decoupling of the dust within it. The chemical composition of the condensate changes with time and radius. We compare the results of two dust condensation models: one where an element condenses when the midplane temperature in the disc is lower than the 50% condensation temperature (T 50) of that element and the other where the condensation of the dust is calculated by a Gibbs free energy minimization technique assuming chemical equilibrium at local disc temperature and pressure. The results of two models are generally consistent with some systematic differences of ∼ 10% depending upon the radial distance and an element's condensation temperature. Both models predict compositions similar to CM, CO, and CV chondrites provided that the decoupling timescale of the dust is on the order of the evolution timescale of the disc or longer. If the decoupling timescale is too short, the composition deviates significantly from the measured values. These models may contribute to our understanding of the chemical compositions of chondrites, and ultimately the terrestrial planets in the solar system, and may constrain the potential chemical compositions of rocky exoplanets.
Connecting Planetary Composition with Formation
2018
The rapid advances in observations of the different populations of exoplanets, the characterization of their host stars and the links to the properties of their planetary systems, the detailed studies of protoplanetary disks, and the experimental study of the interiors and composition of the massive planets in our solar system provide a firm basis for the next big question in planet formation theory. How do the elemental and chemical compositions of planets connect with their formation? The answer to this requires that the various pieces of planet formation theory be linked together in an end-to-end picture that is capable of addressing these large data sets. In this review, we discuss the critical elements of such a picture and how they affect the chemical and elemental make up of forming planets. Important issues here include the initial state of forming and evolving disks, chemical and dust processes within them, the migration of planets and the importance of planet traps, the na...
Dust condensation in evolving discs and the composition of planetary building blocks
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Partial condensation of dust from the Solar nebula is likely responsible for the diverse chemical compositions of chondrites and rocky planets/planetesimals in the inner Solar system. We present a forward physical–chemical model of a protoplanetary disc to predict the chemical compositions of planetary building blocks that may form from such a disc. Our model includes the physical evolution of the disc and the condensation, partial advection, and decoupling of the dust within it. The chemical composition of the condensate changes with time and radius. We compare the results of two dust condensation models: one where an element condenses when the mid-plane temperature in the disc is lower than the 50 per cent condensation temperature ($\rm T_{50}$) of that element and the other where the condensation of the dust is calculated by a Gibbs free energy minimization technique assuming chemical equilibrium at local disc temperature and pressure. The results of two models are generally cons...
The Astrophysical Journal, 2009
We have identified in an acid resistant residue of the carbonaceous chondrite Murchison a large number (458) of highly refractory metal nuggets (RMNs) that once were most likely hosted by Ca,Al-rich inclusions (CAIs). While osmium isotopic ratios of two randomly selected particles rule out a presolar origin, the bulk chemistry of 88 particles with sizes in the submicron range determined by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy shows striking agreement with predictions of single-phase equilibrium condensation calculations. Both chemical composition and morphology strongly favor a condensation origin. Particularly important is the presence of structurally incompatible elements in particles with a single-crystal structure, which also suggests the absence of secondary alteration. The metal particles represent the most pristine early solar system material found so far and allow estimation of the cooling rate of the gaseous environment from which the first solids formed by condensation. The resulting value of 0.5 K yr −1 is at least 4 orders of magnitude lower than the cooling rate of molten CAIs. It is thus possible, for the first time, to see through the complex structure of most CAIs and infer the thermal history of the gaseous reservoir from which their components formed by condensation.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
We present the next step in a series of papers devoted to connecting the composition of the atmospheres of forming planets with the chemistry of their natal evolving protoplanetary discs. The model presented here computes the coupled chemical and dust evolution of the disc and the formation of three planets per disc model. Our three canonical planet traps produce a Jupiter near 1 AU, a Hot Jupiter and a Super-Earth. We study the dependence of the final orbital radius, mass, and atmospheric chemistry of planets forming in disc models with initial disc masses that vary by 0.02 M above and below our fiducial model (M disc,0 = 0.1 M). We compute C/O and C/N for the atmospheres formed in our three models and find that C/O planet ∼ C/O disc , which does not vary strongly between different planets formed in our model. The nitrogen content of atmospheres can vary in planets that grow in different disc models. These differences are related to the formation history of the planet, the time and location that the planet accretes its atmosphere, and are encoded in the bulk abundance of NH 3. These results suggest that future observations of atmospheric NH 3 and an estimation of the planetary C/O and C/N can inform the formation history of particular planetary systems.