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Internal Structure of Uranus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

J. J. MacFarlane and
W. B. Hubbard
J. J. MacFarlane
Affiliation:
Department of Planetary Sciences, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721
W. B. Hubbard
Affiliation:
Department of Planetary Sciences, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721

Abstract

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We present an updated study of Uranus interior models using current information about the planet’s gravity field and rotation rate. The most plausible model, both from the point of view of recent data and cosmogony, has a central core of iron and magnesium silicates, an outer envelope of liquid water, methane, and ammonia, and a deep “atmosphere” of almost four earth masses of hydrogen, helium, and methane. The “atmosphere” contains a gravit at ionally nonnegligible amount of methane — about 40% by mass. All plausible models are most consistent with a rotation period of ~15 to 16 hours.

Information

Type
Present Knowledge of Uranus
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 60: Uranus and the Outer Planets , 1982, pp. 111 - 124
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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