foreword xi
i introduction
nature and scope of planetary science 1
guide to the literature 3
numbers in science 4
dimensions and units 5
exercises 6
ii astronomical perspective
introduction 7
distance scales in the universe 7
the big bang 10
limitations on big bang nucleosynthesis 14
galaxy and star formation 15
structure and classification of galaxies 16
classification of stars 18
stellar evolution 25
star clusters 27
stellar origins 29
outline of star formation 33
stellar explosions and nucleosynthesis 34
nuclear cosmochronology 43
exercises 47
iii general description of
the solar system
introduction 50
the sun 50
orbits of the planets 52
changes in orbital motion 57
properties of the planets 58
mass and angular momentum distribution 59
satellites 63
asteroids 69
comets 71
meteors 72
meteorites 72
cosmic dust 73
cosmic rays 73
planetary science in the space age 74
vii
summary 76
exercises 76
iv the sun and the solar nebula
introduction 77
energy production in the sun 77
energy transport in the sun 79
internal structure of the sun 83
surface of the sun 84
the chromosphere 87
the corona 88
discovery of the solar wind 90
radio wave propagation in space plasmas 91
the solar wind 92
chemistry of solar material 96
ionization 97
dissociation and molecule formation 100
hydrogen and the rare gases 101
oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen 102
magnesium and silicon 105
iron 106
sulfur 107
aluminum and calcium 108
sodium and potassium 109
nickel and cobalt 110
phosphorus and the halogens 111
geochemical classification of the elements 111
the chemistry of rapid accretion 116
kinetic inhibition 117
mass and density of the solar nebula 118
thermal opacity in the solar nebula 121
dust opacity 129
thermal structure of the nebula 131
turbulence and dust sedimentation 134
accretion of rocks, planetesimals,
and planets 136
gas capture from the solar nebula 138
the t tauri phase 141
thermal history of the early solar system 143
exercises 144
v the major planets
introduction 147
interiors of jupiter and saturn: data 148
isothermal interior models of jupiter
and saturn 151
thermal models of jupiter and saturn 154
the atmospheres of jupiter and saturn:
observed composition 156
tropospheric composition and structure:
theory 159
cloud condensation in the nh3�Ch2o�Ch2s
system 165
cloud physics on the jovian planets 174
galileo perspectives on jovian clouds 179
ion production in the jovian atmosphere 180
visible and infrared radiative transfer 183
horizontal structure and
atmospheric circulation 187
photochemistry and aeronomy 200
the jovian thermosphere 217
radiophysics and magnetospheres of jupiter
and saturn 218
the interiors of uranus and neptune 229
atmospheres of uranus and neptune 238
perspectives 247
exercises 247
vi pluto and the icy satellites of
the outer planets
introduction 252
surfaces of icy satellites 253
eclipse radiometry 256
surface temperatures 257
surface morphology of the galilean
satellites 258
density and composition of icy satellites 265
internal thermal structure of galilean
satellites 267
dynamical interactions of the galilean
satellites 272
thermal and tectonic evolution of icy
satellites 275
minor satellites of jupiter 278
planetary rings 280
titan 289
the intermediate-sized saturnian satellites 293
minor satellites of saturn 296
satellites of uranus 299
satellites of neptune 303
the pluto�Ccharon system 308
the