Understanding the Origin of Theia: Evaluating Earth's Last Giant Impactor
By
bikenaga
Toasted to a respectable shade. No regrets, no crumbs left.
Summary
The article discusses the dynamical origin of Theia, the last giant impactor on Earth, and evaluates the idea using dynamical simulations of terrestrial planet formation. It explores the role of carbonaceous (CC) material in Earth's accretion and the implications for the Moon-forming impact.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledOur simulations show there are roughly 50-50 odds of Earth's last giant impactor (Theia) having been a carbonaceous object.
Our simulations thus provide dynamical validation of cosmochemical studies.
For this scenario to work, the total mass in scattered CC objects must have been ~ 0.2 - 0.3 M$_{\oplus}$.
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