Early differentiation of the
Earth and other rocky planets
Lunchtime Reading Group
When: Thursdays, 12 to ~
Where: RM 327
The purpose of this reading
group is to discuss recent papers or classic historical papers pertaining to
early planetary and solar system evolution.
By “early”, we mean the time period between nebular condensation and the
earliest Archean ~3.5 Gy.
Topics of interest include:
1) planetary accretion scenarios, 2) core-mantle segregation, 3) inner-core
solidification, 4) origin of the geodynamo, 5) magma
ocean formation and the formation of primordial stratification, 6) Moon forming
processes, 7) nature and origin of the Earth’s earliest crusts, 8) formation of
the Earth’s atmosphere/hydrosphere, 9) volatile degassing of the Earth, 10) cometary inputs of volatiles, 11) parameterized convection
models for secular thermal evolution of the Earth, 12) composition of early
atmospheres, 13) thermal and chemical coupling between planetary atmospheres
and the mantle, 14) origin of life, 15) the importance of volatiles, such as
water, in planetary differentiation, rheology and
geodynamics.
The goal here is to bring
together different disciplines, in particular, geodynamics, rock physics,
geochemistry and petrology. There will
also be implications
It is unlikely that we will
cover all these topics in one semester. It is also unlikely that we are experts
on all of these topics. In any case, the
point is to have fun, learn the literature and learn from each other.
22 Sep. CANCELLED
29 Sep. Wrap up magma ocean concepts.
Wilson. 2005. Radioisotope tracers reveal extensive
melting in Earth’s distant past. Physics Today.
Supplemental reading on KREEP
for those interested.
6 Oct. Hester and Desch. Understanding our origins: star formation in HII
region environments.
10 Nov – Noontime bag lunch
seminar – Peter Kelemen (LDEO); something about crust
formation
17 Nov – Noontime bag lunch
seminar – Lee Kump (PSU); mantle redox and
atmospheric composition