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Radiogenic melting of primordial comet interiors

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Abstract

Comets accreted soon after the initial collapse and cooling of the solar nebula, and containing a plausible fraction of 26Al, would have been significantly heated as this radionuclide decayed. Snow-and-dust balls as described by integrals of the heat conduction equation would melt in the centre if larger than 3–6 km radius. A central, low pressure vapour-droplet mixture is described here, which is conceived to be retained within an ice shell, and providing a potentially hospitable environment for elementary life forms. Refreezing after some million years produces a partially-hollow core.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Mathematics and Astronomy, University College, Cardiff, CF1 1XL, UK

    Max K. Wallis

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  1. Max K. Wallis
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Wallis, M. Radiogenic melting of primordial comet interiors. Nature 284, 431–433 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/284431a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/284431a0

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