Moons Flashcards
1
Q
Earth’s Moon
A
- Theia –> planet sized object
- smashed into earth: 4.5 Ga
- moon formed from pieces of Earth
- small core
2
Q
Lunar Contaminants
A
- Apollo 11 crew: 21 dyas quarantine
- Little known about lunar biology
3
Q
Earth’s Moon’s Influence on Geodynamo
A
- proposed geodynamo is mechanical influence of the moon on Earth’s liquid outer-core
4
Q
Jupiter Moon: Europa
A
- water covered by thick layer of ice
- cryovolcanoes –> brings ocean material to the surface
- extreme radiation
5
Q
Saturn’s Moon: Titan
A
- great lakes of space
- seas of ethane and methane
6
Q
Saturn’s Moon: Enceladus
A
- hydrothermal activity in liquid water ocean (under ice crust)
- H2 in plumes
- high pH alkaline oceans
- access to CHN
- methane based hydrological cycle - potential life solvent
7
Q
Jovian System
A
- Europa and Titan
- has more liquid water than Earth
8
Q
Before Apollo
A
- Earth and moon formed together - co-accretion
- Earth spun so fast it split off the moon - fission
- Earth captured the moon - magnetic field
9
Q
Mars Moons
A
- Phobos and Deimos
- small
- will eventually be pulled into Mars - broken - and turned into rings
10
Q
Jupiter Moons
A
- Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, Io
- all display presence of water underlying icy surface
