[Baps] Planetary Lunch - Tuesday 11/29 @ 12:30 — Fiona Nichols-Fleming (Brown University)

[Jason Soderblom]

Please join us next Tuesday, November 29th for a talk from Fiona Nichols-Fleming (Brown University) about  Core Solidification & Contraction on 16 Psyche.  Lunch will be served.

Details below, including a link to sign up for a time to meet individually with Fiona.

Best,
Jason Soderblom


Planetary Lunch Seminar – Fiona Nichols-Fleming (Brown University)

Tuesday November 29th @ 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm | Room 54-517 and Zoom<https://mit.zoom.us/j/96525774689>

Title: Core Solidification & Contraction on 16 Psyche

Abstract: Asteroid 16 Psyche is a puzzling body with both evidence of a metal rich surface and a density of only about half that of pure iron. This potential contradiction has led to a lot of discussion of the true mass fraction of metal contained in Psyche and thus the associated formation scenario. In addition to the iron mass fraction, the process of core solidification is important for the thermal evolution of an undisrupted body, but there are still many uncertainties in modeling this process for low-pressure cores. In particular, the choice between inward vs. outward solidification will have a significant influence on the inferred thermal evolution of a Psyche-sized body. Here, we model the thermal evolution of a Psyche-sized body with varying values of iron mass fraction using inward and outward concentric core growth to determine the resulting differences in thermal evolution and history of radial contraction. We find that the timing and absolute amount of contraction can provide constraints on the cooling history and composition of Psyche. These differences in radial contraction could be measured by the Psyche spacecraft upon its arrival.

Meeting with the Speaker: Fiona will be visiting the department on Tuesday and is available to meet people individually; please sign up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11p1LK9KqCg4niIfDtDlFc_3q6IgTZSoNO_zsKdPIYUQ/edit?usp=sharing



Code to get into the Zoom meetings 54915
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