Michail Petaev
Harvard University

Physico‐chemical modeling of condensation in the early Solar system:

Why are condensation models needed?

• The planet‐forming inner region in a physical model of solar nebula introduced by Cameron (1963) was totally vaporized.
• Therefore, before making planets nebular gas had to condense and accumulate into planetary building blocks or planetesimals (@ meteorite parent bodies) made up of chondritic meteorites.
• While now it is clear that neither of these postulates is correct, modeling nebular condensation still remains a powerful tool for understanding and, in some cases, predicting both mineralogical and chemical evolution of nebular reservoirs in which the Solar System objects have formed.
• Another important application of such models is to evaluate mineralogy and chemistry of extrasolar planets orbiting stars chemically different from our Sun.
• The purpose of this presentation is to overview existing condensation models and to discuss their strengths and weaknesses using several examples
• First, I will introduce you in mineralogy and chemistry of chondritic meteorites
• Then describe equilibrium and non-equilibrium condensation models based on my own work
• Specifically discuss the concept of 50% condensation temperatures that is widely used in planetary studies, including exoplanets
• And describe application of condensation models to understanding origin and evolution of meteoritic objects and Moon

Refreshments at 3:30 p.m./Lecture at 3:45 p.m.