GoldenBalls and the Three Shells
It can be safely assumed that without outside intervention
(i.e.
System Engineering) an igniting Star (even a miserable S Type), during
its T-Tauri phase will
'blow off' the bulk of the
proto-planetary disc out to the local Oort Cloud. The
material left behind slowly accretes forming
dust grains, dust bunnies,...
eventually enough mass creates gravity and compression into
planetissimals, planetoids
and eventually planets with differentiated and still molten cores; with
the occasional violent
collision thrown in to complicate the mix and create a moon or two.
In general planets will
form providing they are left in peace and not disturbed by large masses
in close proximity. E.g. Jupiter disrupting the formation of 'Lucifer'
- the Main Belt by any other name; or, in the classic binary star
system with
chaotic orbital mechanics.
Even so, there will be 'calm waters' where planet formation takes the
form of three distinct material processes:
- 'RockBalls' - metal oxides and
silicates of the inner system bodies
- 'GoldenBalls' - carbonaceous organics
with chemically bound water
- 'IceBalls' - water ice and frozen
volatiles found in the outer system.
Planet
what Planet?
The Giants
(Ia, Ib, II, III and some IV
Sub-Giants) plus the upper
echelon of the Hertzsprung -Russell League (types B9 to O) have inner
'Inferno-shells'; where everything vapourises, including Rockballs!
Conversely
(perversely) it is possible to conjecture asteroids,
planetoids and planets - composed of a particularly refractory mixture
-
that orbit within the stellar atmospheres of some of the colder red
giants.
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The
type of primary determines the temperature gradient of the system and
the type of planet in any given orbit. Similarly the temperature
gradient determines the surface conditions of that planet in its given
orbit.
In general any system can be divided into three zones:
- Pyro-shell: where the porridge is too hot.
Water Vapour 100 degC [373 degK]
- Goldie-shell: where the porridge is 'just right'
Terra (15 degC [288degK])
- Cryo-shell: where the porridge is too cold
Water Ice 0 degC [273 degK]
This middle shell is Terrocentrically defined as the 'Habitable Zone'
i.e. one
where water is wet.
[Thus totally
ignoring the requirements of the many indignant Pyro and Cryo-species
out there!]
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