Interior Structure of Neptune: Comparison with Uranus

Measurements of rotation rates and gravitational harmonics of Neptune made with the Voyager 2 spacecraft allow tighter constraints on models of the planet's interior. Shock measurements of material that may match the composition of Neptune, the so-called planetary "ice," have been car...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1991-08, Vol.253 (5020), p.648-651
Main Authors: Hubbard, W. B., Nellis, W. J., Mitchell, A. C., Holmes, N. C., Limaye, S. S., McCandless, P. C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
661300 - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)
Astrophysics
Average linear density
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS
GRAVITATION
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
HARMONICS
Ice
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Mass
MOTION
Neptune
NEPTUNE PLANET
OSCILLATIONS
Planetary interior
Planetary rotation
PLANETS
Rotating bodies
ROTATION
Solar composition
Structure
Uranus
URANUS PLANET
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Summary:Measurements of rotation rates and gravitational harmonics of Neptune made with the Voyager 2 spacecraft allow tighter constraints on models of the planet's interior. Shock measurements of material that may match the composition of Neptune, the so-called planetary "ice," have been carried out to pressures exceeding 200 gigapascals (2 megabars). Comparison of shock data with inferred pressure-density profiles for both Uranus and Neptune shows substantial similarity through most of the mass of both planets. Analysis of the effect of Neptune's strong differential rotation on its gravitational harmonics indicates that differential rotation involves only the outermost few percent of Neptune's mass.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.253.5020.648