Protoplanet
Encyclopedia
Protoplanets are large planetary embryos that originate within protoplanetary discs and have undergone internal melting to produce differentiated interiors. They are believed to form out of kilometer-sized planetesimal
s that attract each other gravitationally and collide. According to planet-formation theory
, protoplanets perturb each other's orbits slightly and thus collide to gradually form the dominant planet
s.
In the case of the Solar System
it is thought that the collisions of planetesimals created a few hundred planetary embryos. Such embryos were similar to Ceres and Pluto
with masses of about 1022 to 1023 kg and were a few thousand kilometers in diameter. Over the course of about 100 Ma they were involved in impacts with one another. The exact sequence whereby planetary embryos collided to assemble the planets is not known, but it is thought that initial collisions would have replaced the first "generation" of embryos with a second generation consisting of fewer but larger embryos. These in their turn would have collided to create a third generation of fewer but even larger embryos. Eventually only a handful of embryos were left, which collided to complete the assembly of the planet
s proper.
Early protoplanets had more radioactive elements, the quantity of which has been reduced over time due to radioactive decay
. Heating due to radioactivity, impact, and gravitational pressure melted parts of protoplanets as they grew toward being planets. In melted zones their heavier element
s sank to the center, while lighter elements rose to the surface. Such a process is known as planetary differentiation
. The composition of some meteorite
s show that differentiation took place in some asteroid
s.
The giant impact hypothesis
proposes that Earth
's Moon
formed from a colossal impact of a hypothetical protoplanet, named Theia, with Earth, early in the Solar System's history
.
In the inner Solar System, the three protoplanets to survive more-or-less intact are the asteroid
s 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas
, and 4 Vesta
. The asteroid 21 Lutetia
has also shown characteristics that resemble a protoplanet.
Kuiper-belt
dwarf planet
s have also been referred to as protoplanets. Because iron meteorites
have been found on Earth, it is deemed likely that there once were other metal-cored protoplanets in the asteroid belt
that since have been disrupted and that are the source of these meteorites.
Planetesimal
Planetesimals are solid objects thought to exist in protoplanetary disks and in debris disks.A widely accepted theory of planet formation, the so-called planetesimal hypothesis of Viktor Safronov, states that planets form out of cosmic dust grains that collide and stick to form larger and larger...
s that attract each other gravitationally and collide. According to planet-formation theory
Solar nebula
In cosmogony, the nebular hypothesis is the most widely accepted model explaining the formation and evolution of the Solar System. There is evidence that it was first proposed in 1734 by Emanuel Swedenborg. Originally applied only to our own Solar System, this method of planetary system formation...
, protoplanets perturb each other's orbits slightly and thus collide to gradually form the dominant planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s.
In the case of the Solar System
Solar System
The Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
it is thought that the collisions of planetesimals created a few hundred planetary embryos. Such embryos were similar to Ceres and Pluto
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
with masses of about 1022 to 1023 kg and were a few thousand kilometers in diameter. Over the course of about 100 Ma they were involved in impacts with one another. The exact sequence whereby planetary embryos collided to assemble the planets is not known, but it is thought that initial collisions would have replaced the first "generation" of embryos with a second generation consisting of fewer but larger embryos. These in their turn would have collided to create a third generation of fewer but even larger embryos. Eventually only a handful of embryos were left, which collided to complete the assembly of the planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s proper.
Early protoplanets had more radioactive elements, the quantity of which has been reduced over time due to radioactive decay
Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the process by which an atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing particles . The emission is spontaneous, in that the atom decays without any physical interaction with another particle from outside the atom...
. Heating due to radioactivity, impact, and gravitational pressure melted parts of protoplanets as they grew toward being planets. In melted zones their heavier element
Chemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
s sank to the center, while lighter elements rose to the surface. Such a process is known as planetary differentiation
Planetary differentiation
In planetary science, planetary differentiation is the process of separating out different constituents of a planetary body as a consequence of their physical or chemical behaviour, where the body develops into compositionally distinct layers; the denser materials of a planet sink to the center,...
. The composition of some meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
s show that differentiation took place in some asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s.
The giant impact hypothesis
Giant impact hypothesis
The giant impact hypothesis states that the Moon was created out of the debris left over from a collision between the young Earth and a Mars-sized body. The colliding body is sometimes called Theia for the mythical Greek Titan who was the mother of Selene, the goddess of the moon.The giant impact...
proposes that Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
formed from a colossal impact of a hypothetical protoplanet, named Theia, with Earth, early in the Solar System's history
Formation and evolution of the Solar System
The formation and evolution of the Solar System is estimated to have begun 4.568 billion years ago with the gravitational collapse of a small part of a giant molecular cloud...
.
In the inner Solar System, the three protoplanets to survive more-or-less intact are the asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s 1 Ceres, 2 Pallas
2 Pallas
Pallas, formally designated 2 Pallas, is the second asteroid to have been discovered , and one of the largest. It is estimated to constitute 7% of the mass of the asteroid belt, and its diameter of 530–565 km is comparable to, or slightly larger than, that of 4 Vesta. It is however 20%...
, and 4 Vesta
4 Vesta
Vesta, formally designated 4 Vesta, is one of the largest asteroids, with a mean diameter of about . It was discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on March 29, 1807, and is named after the Roman virgin goddess of home and hearth, Vesta....
. The asteroid 21 Lutetia
21 Lutetia
21 Lutetia is a large main-belt asteroid of an unusual spectral type. It measures about 100 kilometers in diameter . It was discovered in 1852 by Hermann Goldschmidt, and is named after Lutetia, the Latin name for Paris....
has also shown characteristics that resemble a protoplanet.
Kuiper-belt
Kuiper belt
The Kuiper belt , sometimes called the Edgeworth–Kuiper belt, is a region of the Solar System beyond the planets extending from the orbit of Neptune to approximately 50 AU from the Sun. It is similar to the asteroid belt, although it is far larger—20 times as wide and 20 to 200 times as massive...
dwarf planet
Dwarf planet
A dwarf planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union , is a celestial body orbiting the Sun that is massive enough to be spherical as a result of its own gravity but has not cleared its neighboring region of planetesimals and is not a satellite...
s have also been referred to as protoplanets. Because iron meteorites
Iron meteorite
Iron meteorites are meteorites that consist overwhelmingly of nickel-iron alloys. The metal taken from these meteorites is known as meteoric iron and was one of the earliest sources of usable iron available to humans.-Occurrence:...
have been found on Earth, it is deemed likely that there once were other metal-cored protoplanets in the asteroid belt
Asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...
that since have been disrupted and that are the source of these meteorites.
See also
- Fusor (astronomy)Fusor (astronomy)A fusor is a term proposed to the IAU by Gibor Basri, Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley, to help clarify the nomenclature of celestial bodies...
- MesoplanetMesoplanetMesoplanet is a term coined by Isaac Asimov to refer to planetary bodies with sizes smaller than Mercury but larger than Ceres. Assuming "size" is defined by linear dimension , mesoplanets should be approximately 1,000 km to 5,000 km in diameter...
- PlanetesimalPlanetesimalPlanetesimals are solid objects thought to exist in protoplanetary disks and in debris disks.A widely accepted theory of planet formation, the so-called planetesimal hypothesis of Viktor Safronov, states that planets form out of cosmic dust grains that collide and stick to form larger and larger...
- Planetar (astronomy)Planetar (astronomy)Planetar is a term used in astronomy that refers to one of two things:* Brown dwarfs — objects intermediate in size between planets and stars — but having formed similarly to planets....
External links
- Thread on the definition of a protoplanet (Minor Planet Mailing List : Jul 15, 2011)