GEOLOGY 101

1
GEOLOGY 101

• Today SPECIAL TOPIC
• Planetary Geology

Course Website http//fouch101.asu.edu
2
Overview of Planets
Planetary Geology
Planets make up 0.15 of our Solar Systems
mass Sun accounts for the other 99.85!
3
Overview of Planets
Planetary Geology
Planets make up 0.15 of our Solar Systems
mass Sun accounts for the other 99.85!
Order of Planets
Venus
4
Planetary Geology
Origin formation of planets
Planets thought to have formed _at_ same time from
cloud of dust and gases called a nebula 80
hydrogen, 15 helium, 5 heavier elements
Heaviest material sank to planet centers, formed
cores, etc, chemical differentiation
5
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
Unusual. Moon is large for a planet moon Its
density is 3.3 gm/cm3 This is close to Earth
crustal rocks Gravity on Moon is 1/6 that on
Earth
6
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
Unusual. Moon is large for a planet moon Its
density is 3.3 gm/cm3 This is close to Earth
crustal rocks Gravity on Moon is 1/6 that on
Earth
7
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
Unusual. Moon is large for a planet moon Its
density is 3.3 gm/cm3 This is close to Earth
crustal rocks Gravity on Moon is 1/6 that on
Earth
8
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
Unusual. Moon is large for a planet moon Its
density is 3.3 gm/cm3 This is close to Earth
crustal rocks Gravity on Moon is 1/6 that on
Earth Galileo noted dark and light spots.
9
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
Unusual. Moon is large for a planet moon Its
density is 3.3 gm/cm3 This is close to Earth
crustal rocks Gravity on Moon is 1/6 that on
Earth Galileo noted dark and light spots.
10
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
maria - large basalt flows highlands - most of
surface regolith - unconsolidated dust layer
11
Planetary Geology
Earths Moon
Formation of Moon from impact of large meteor
w/ Earth?
12
Planetary Geology
World wide map of known impact structures
13
Planetary Geology
Meteor Crater, AZ
14
Mercury

• No atmosphere
• Looks like Moon
• Mercury day takes 6 months!
• Day temp. 800 oF
• Night temp. -280 oF

15
Venus

• Earth-like size, density
• covered in thick clouds
• surface very hot 900 oF!
• active volcanism

16
Earth
17
Mars
18
Mars polar ice caps (Frozen Water CO2)
19
Mars Digital Topography
20

• Mars
• Martian atmosphere 1 of Earths
• Mainly CO2

21

• Mars
• Interior
• mantle, core,
• lithosphere

22

• Mars
• rocky surface

23
Jupiter

• Big! (2 Earths fit in red spot)
• Spins once in 12 hrs
• 16 moons

24

• Big! (2 Earths fit in red spot)
• Spins once in 12 hrs
• 16 moons

25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
Jupiters moon Io Volcanically active!
28
Jupiters moon Europa Liquid ocean under ice!
29
Saturn

• Similar composition to Jupiter
• but twice as far from Sun
• Most extensive ring system
• Atmosphere winds 930 m.p.h.!
• At least 21 moons

30

• Similar composition to Jupiter
• but twice as far from Sun
• Most extensive ring system
• Atmosphere winds 930 m.p.h.!
• At least 21 moons

31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
Uranus

• Twin w/ Neptune
• Methane atmosphere
• Rotates on its side
• At least 15 moons

34

• Twin w/ Neptune
• Methane atmosphere
• Rotates on its side
• At least 15 moons

35
Neptune

• Great dark spot
• White clouds
• 8 known moons

36
Pluto

• 248 Earth years to go around Sun once
• Charon, its moon, is over half Plutos size
• A captured object not really a planet