Earth Jupiter Fail

Rocky planets, including Earth, is a true giant gas planets like Jupiter formed fail. It is based on the latest theories of planet formation revealed by Sergei Nayakshin, an astronomer at the University of Leicester, as reported by Space.com, Friday (16/09/2011) ago.

Theories of planet formation is generally believed now is a core accretion. At first, there is a giant gas disk around a newborn star. Dust particles on the disk that coalesce to form larger objects called planetesimals which then form larger structures.

As a result of that process, the mass is formed even larger. At a certain mass, called critical mass, gravity will pull the disc mass of gas contained in the blob. Thus, then rocky planets formed from a long and complicated process it.

Nayakshin proposed a new theory called tidal downsizing. Based on this theory, was originally formed clumps of gas in the zone far from the planet generally found so far. In the process, clumps of gas cools and shrinks to a still relatively massive planet, about 10 times the size of Jupiter.

During the shrinkage takes place, the dust particles contained in the disc of gas coalesce into larger and then "fell" into the center of the clumps of gas, forming a solid that is solid in there. This is where the primitive rock planets eventually formed by clumps of gas in the outer wrapper.

The next event, gaseous disc bring this primitive planet near the star. Gas wrapping primitive planet is then "eaten" by the parent star. Part of the "survivors" are solid core only and some gas, spared because its density is relatively large.

Deprivation of the wrapping process gas is then formed Super Earth planet or rocky planet like Earth. In other words, Super Earth and planetary rocks is essentially a gas planet who does not have a chance to grow up because the mechanism in the universe and the "crimes" of the star.

Nayakshin outlining a new theory of planet formation in the journal Monthly Notice of Royal Astronomical Society published last August. He recognizes, as a new theory, there are still many weaknesses that must be covered and still being tested. He hopes the scientists examined further pleased dipaparkannya theory.

Responding to the theory Nayakhsin, Aaron Boley from the University of Florida who did research on the formation of giant gas planet that tidal processes Disruption allow life to evolve on a more varied star system. "This is another natural way to create a planet," said Boley. The more planets, the greater the potential for life.

Nayakhsin himself said, the core accretion model and tidal Disruption has physical measures are the same but different proportions. "In this case, the final model may be combined," he said. He also menbambahkan that rocky planets are formed in the process of tidal Disruption may be sized "zero to 10 Earth masses."