geol 3045: planetary geology lysa chizmadia uranus’ moons lysa chizmadia uranus’ moons
TRANSCRIPT
GEOL 3045: Planetary GeologyGEOL 3045: Planetary Geology
Lysa ChizmadiaUranus’ Moons
Lysa ChizmadiaUranus’ Moons
IntroductionIntroduction 27 named moons
– Named after Shakesperian & Alexander Pope characters
Groups– Shepherding Moons– Chaotic Moon Swarm– Puck, Mab & Cupid– Large Inner Satellites– Outer Irregular Satellites
27 named moons– Named after Shakesperian & Alexander
Pope characters
Groups– Shepherding Moons– Chaotic Moon Swarm– Puck, Mab & Cupid– Large Inner Satellites– Outer Irregular Satellites
Image from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Display=Moons&Object=Uranus
Shepherding MoonsShepherding Moons Keep outer epsilon ring well
defined Cordelia
– Inner shepherd– 15km in diameter
Ophelia– Outer shepherd– 16 km in diameter
Must be inner shepherds, but not yet discovered
Keep outer epsilon ring well defined
Cordelia– Inner shepherd– 15km in diameter
Ophelia– Outer shepherd– 16 km in diameter
Must be inner shepherds, but not yet discovered
Image from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Ura_Cordelia
Choatic Moon SwarmChoatic Moon Swarm Orbital parameters highly chaotic
– Probably collide with each other regularly
8 small satellites– Bianca (21 km radius)– Cressida (33km radius)– Desdemona (27 km radius)– Juliet (42km radius)– Portia (54km radius)– Rosalind (27km radius)– Belinda (33km radius)– Perdita
Orbital parameters highly chaotic– Probably collide with each other
regularly 8 small satellites
– Bianca (21 km radius)– Cressida (33km radius)– Desdemona (27 km radius)– Juliet (42km radius)– Portia (54km radius)– Rosalind (27km radius)– Belinda (33km radius)– Perdita
Images from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Display=Moons&Object=Uranus
Puck, Mab & CupidPuck, Mab & Cupid Puck
– 77km radius– Orbital period: 0.76 days– Inclination: 0.31 degrees
Mab– 16 km radius– Orbital period: 0.92 days
Cupid– 12km radius– Orbital period: 0.61 days
Puck – 77km radius– Orbital period: 0.76 days– Inclination: 0.31 degrees
Mab– 16 km radius– Orbital period: 0.92 days
Cupid– 12km radius– Orbital period: 0.61 days
Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/puck.htm
Major SatellitesMajor Satellites Miranda
– Smallest of 5– Huge fault canyons
Ariel– Brightest & very young surface– Intersecting valleys
Umbriel– Darkest & ancient– Mysterious bright ring
Titania– Largest moon
Oberon– Heavily cratered
Miranda– Smallest of 5– Huge fault canyons
Ariel– Brightest & very young surface– Intersecting valleys
Umbriel– Darkest & ancient– Mysterious bright ring
Titania– Largest moon
Oberon– Heavily cratered
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Uranus
Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Uranus_moons.jpg
MirandaMiranda Diameter: 470 km Orbital period: 1.4 days Eccentricity: 0.0013 Inclination: 4.23 (high) Density: 1.20 g/cm3 Fault canyons
– 20km deep Mixture of young & old
terrains– Jumbled together– Tidal forces?
Diameter: 470 km Orbital period: 1.4 days Eccentricity: 0.0013 Inclination: 4.23 (high) Density: 1.20 g/cm3 Fault canyons
– 20km deep Mixture of young & old
terrains– Jumbled together– Tidal forces?
Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html
ArielAriel Diameter: 1156 km Orbital period: 2.5 days Eccentricity: 0.0012 Inclination: 0.26 Density: 1.67 g/cm3 Mixture of heavily cratered
terrains & smooth plains Dry ice detected on
surface Interconnected valleys
– Chasmata– 100s km long– >10 km deep– Floors smoothed by fluid
Diameter: 1156 km Orbital period: 2.5 days Eccentricity: 0.0012 Inclination: 0.26 Density: 1.67 g/cm3 Mixture of heavily cratered
terrains & smooth plains Dry ice detected on
surface Interconnected valleys
– Chasmata– 100s km long– >10 km deep– Floors smoothed by fluidImage from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html
UmbrielUmbriel Diameter: 1169 km (~ Ariel) Orbital period: 4.14 days Eccentricity: 0.0039 Inclination: 0.36 Density: 1.40 g/cm3 (~ Ariel) Very old, heavily cratered
surface Mysterious bright ring
– Wunda– 140 km diameter
Diameter: 1169 km (~ Ariel) Orbital period: 4.14 days Eccentricity: 0.0039 Inclination: 0.36 Density: 1.40 g/cm3 (~ Ariel) Very old, heavily cratered
surface Mysterious bright ring
– Wunda– 140 km diameter
Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html
Wunda
TitaniaTitania Orbital period: 8.7 days Eccentricity: 0.0011 Inclination: 0.34 Density: 1.72 g/cm3 Largest moon of Uranus Mixture of cratered
terrains & interconnected valleys– Largest trench 1600km long– Faults internal forces
Orbital period: 8.7 days Eccentricity: 0.0011 Inclination: 0.34 Density: 1.72 g/cm3 Largest moon of Uranus Mixture of cratered
terrains & interconnected valleys– Largest trench 1600km long– Faults internal forces
Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html
Image from:http://www.solarviews.com/eng/titania.htm
OberonOberon Diameter: 1523 km Orbital period: 13.5 days Eccentricity: 0.0008 Inclination: 0.10 Density: 1.64 g/cm3 2nd Largest moon of
Uranus Heavily cratered w/ bright
rays S hemisphere has large
faults
Diameter: 1523 km Orbital period: 13.5 days Eccentricity: 0.0008 Inclination: 0.10 Density: 1.64 g/cm3 2nd Largest moon of
Uranus Heavily cratered w/ bright
rays S hemisphere has large
faultsImage from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html
6 km high
Outer Irregular SatellitesOuter Irregular Satellites Retrograde & highly
inclined 5 moons
– Caliban– Stephano– Sycorax– Prospero– Setebos
Retrograde & highly inclined
5 moons– Caliban– Stephano– Sycorax– Prospero– Setebos
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Uranus
Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/caliban.htm
SummarySummary Inner shepherd moons
– Cordelia & Ophelia
Puck, Mab & Cupid Largest
– Miranda: heavily cratered terrain mixed w/ smooth blocks– Ariel: brightest & has chasmata with smooth floors– Umbriel: darkest & has bright ring crater on N pole– Titania: largest moon & mixture of cratered terrain &
trenchs & faults– Oberon: highly cratered
Outer irregular satellites– Retrograde & highly inclined– Probable captured asteroids
Inner shepherd moons– Cordelia & Ophelia
Puck, Mab & Cupid Largest
– Miranda: heavily cratered terrain mixed w/ smooth blocks– Ariel: brightest & has chasmata with smooth floors– Umbriel: darkest & has bright ring crater on N pole– Titania: largest moon & mixture of cratered terrain &
trenchs & faults– Oberon: highly cratered
Outer irregular satellites– Retrograde & highly inclined– Probable captured asteroids