The conditions for liquid water in cometary nuclei

Morris Podolak*, D. Prialnik

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Liquid water is considered fundamental for the development of life. Comet nuclei are composed largely of ice, and under the proper conditions, some of that ice may transform into liquid water. We describe the physical processes involved in computing the heat balance in comet nuclei and present the results of numerical models of their thermal evolution. We determine under which conditions liquid water may form.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationComets and the Origin and Evolution of Life
EditorsPaul Thomas, Christopher Chyba, P. Christopher
PublisherSpringer Berlin Heidelberg
Pages303-314
Number of pages12
ISBN (Print)3540330860, 9783540330868
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006

Publication series

NameAdvances in Astrobiology and Biogeophysics
ISSN (Print)1610-8957
ISSN (Electronic)1613-1851

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