Earth’s interior
Structure, water and rock chemistry, magnetic-field power, and seismic signals from deep inside Earth.
8 problemsComposition, structure and internal dynamics of planets and stars.
Subjects: Planetary science · Earth science · Astrophysics
Structure, water and rock chemistry, magnetic-field power, and seismic signals from deep inside Earth.
8 problemsHow stars explode, what they leave behind, and where heavy elements form.
5 problemsRotation, magnetic fields, cluster chemistry and the remnants of stellar evolution.
14 problemsPlanet formation, atmospheres, thermal histories, distant orbits and Saturn’s moons and rings.
15 problemsJuno’s measurements suggest that Jupiter’s core blends gradually into its hydrogen-rich surroundings. How large is this region, what is it made of, and how did it form?
Earth’s core is mostly iron and nickel, but these alone do not explain its measured properties. Which lighter elements are mixed in, and how are they distributed?
Uranus does release heat from its interior, despite older claims that it does not. How does its interior lose heat and produce the seasonal energy budget we observe?
Measurements of the Sun’s composition and interior do not all agree with standard solar models. Which changes would make the different lines of evidence fit together?
Where and how does the Sun regenerate the magnetic field underlying its activity cycle?
Saturn transfers spin to its moons, moving them outward. The strength and frequency pattern of this transfer point to unusually effective internal energy loss. Which interior processes set those rates and their evolution?