ISSN:
1572-946X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Abstract When planetary accretion proceeds in the gas disk-solar nebula, a protoplanet attracts surrounding gas to form a distended H2-He atmosphere. The blanketing effect of the atmosphere, hampering the escape of accretional energy, enhances the surface temperature of planets. Furthermore, evaporation of ice or reduction of surface silicate and metallic oxide can supply a huge amount of water vapor into the atmosphere, which would raise the temperature and promote evaporation. Evaporated materials can be efficiently conveyed outward by vigorous convection, and condensed dust particles should keep the atmosphere opaque during accretion. The size of this opaque atmosphere “dust blob” is defined by the gravitational radius, which exceeds 3 × 108 m when the planetary mass is the Earth's mass (5.97 × 1024 kg). This is larger than the radii of present Jovian planets and so-called brown dwarfs. The expected lifetime of “dust blobs” is 106–107 yr, which is longer than that of the later gas accreting and cooling stages of Jovian planets. The number of “dust blobs” could exceed that of Jovian planets. If the gas disk is rather transparent, the possibility of observing such objects with a distended atmosphere may be higher than that of detecting Jovian planets. Contamination of the gas disk by the dust from primary atmospheres is negligible.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00984506
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