Implications of Jupiter's early contraction history for the composition of the Galilean satellites |
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| Authors: | James B Pollack Ray T Reynolds |
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| Institution: | Theoretical Studies Branch, Space Science Division, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA |
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| Abstract: | Graboske et al. (1973) have shown that Jupiter's luminosity was orders of magnitude larger during its initial contraction phase than it is today. As a result, during Jupiter's earliest contraction history, ices would have preferentially been prevented from condensing within the region containing the orbits of the inner satellites. The observed variation of the mean density of the Galilean satellites with distance from Jupiter implies that the satellite formation process was operative on a time scale of about five million years. Another consequence of the high luminosity phase is that water should be the only ice present in significant proportions in any of the Galilean satellites. |
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