Satellite image of an arid, desert-like region with sandy textures transitioning into a coastal area with blue and green waters. Cloud streaks are visible across the landscape. Satellite image of an arid, desert-like region with sandy textures transitioning into a coastal area with blue and green waters. Cloud streaks are visible across the landscape.

Seminar Series: Guy Consolmagno, Vatican Observatory

“Is Vesta A Protoplanet?”

Summary
Vesta’s overall bulk density, inferred core, and olivine-free basaltic achondrite crust, as determined by the recent Dawn mission, cannot be explained by simply differentiating a chondritic protoplanet: Vesta’s overall density is too low, and its core and crust too big, to fit anything like cosmic abundances of major or trace elements. Instead, we will explore more exotic theories of Vestan formation and evolution in a violent early solar nebula.

The presentation can be seen here.
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