Thermo-compositional convection in the interior of giant planets

University Of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

In this project, Dr. Garaud and her collaborators will expand their modeling to include analysis of transport layered convection, with the goal of solving long-standing problems, such as understanding why Saturn radiates more energy than predicted by models, and why Uranus and Neptune give off much less than expected. They will also test whether incorporating helium gradients can improve the thermal evolution models of Saturn and Jupiter. This project has broader impacts in that it will train students in interdisciplinary scientific research, and produce results that are applicable in fields outside of astronomy, including applied mathematics and global oceanic mixing.