Geological Activity and Atmospheric Composition in Outer Solar System Bodies
Overview
This coursework assignment examines scientific writing skills through analysis of key phenomena in the outer solar system. It addresses methane abundance on Titan, cryovolcanism, the significance of meteorites and comets, impact hazards to Earth, geological activity on outer planet moons, and distinctions between comets and meteors, concluding with observations about Pluto's formation and exploration.
What this coursework covers
- Part II: Scientific Writing Skills - Six writing questions (W.Q.1-W.Q.6) covering Titan's methane, cryovolcanism mechanisms, solar system relics, comet and asteroid threats, geological activity evidence on moons, and comet-meteor distinctions
- Part III: Exploration - Discussion of Pluto and its moons' formation via Kuiper Belt collision and New Horizons spacecraft discoveries
Preview
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Scientific Writing Skills
Part II: Scientific Writing Skills
W.Q.1
Titan containing abundant methane requires explanation because sunlight should have destroyed all methane during the moon's 4.5 billion-year history. Titan's atmosphere contains methane, while its crust is composed of methane-rich water ice. There has to be an explanation as to why the moon's thick atmosphere still contains methane. The process that destroys methane in the moon's atmosphere is photodissociation. Photodissociation is the process by which ultraviolet radiation from the sun irreversibly breaks down methane molecules.
W.Q.2
Cryovolcanism is an icy volcano that erupts low boiling point compounds (like methane, water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, or nitrogen) and gas-driven solid fragments from the satellite's interior to the surface. It is similar to terrestrial volcanism because it requires two conditions: heating in the interior and a buoyant liquid under the surface. Cryovolcanism also differs from terrestrial volcanism because it erupts an aqueous mixture instead of molten rock.
W.Q.3
Meteorites, asteroids, and comets are essential to the study of the history of the solar system because they are the ancient relics of an earlier universe. Their study is crucial to understanding the beginnings of our solar system, such as the formation process, size, and chemical composition of the protosolar nebula.
W.Q.4
We should be concerned about the possibility of comet nuclei and asteroids hitting Earth because, although they are rare events, they can change the planet's course.