Paper: astro-ph/0511392
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 13:25:39 GMT (39kb)
Title: Saturn's internal structure and carbon enrichment
Authors: Olivier Mousis, Yann Alibert and Willy Benz
Comments: accepted in A&A
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We use the clathrate hydrate trapping theory to calculate the enrichments in
O, N, S, Xe, Ar and Kr compared to solar in Saturn's atmosphere. For this, we
calibrate our calculations using two different carbon abundance determinations
that cover the domain of measurements published in the last decades: one
derived from the NASA $Kuiper$ Airborne Observatory measurements and the other
obtained from the Cassini spacecraft observations. We show that these two
different carbon abundances imply quite a different minimum heavy element
content for Saturn. Using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory measurement for
calibration, the amount of ices accreted by Saturn is found to be consistent
with current interior models of this planet. On the other hand, using the
Cassini measurement for calibration leads to an ice content in the planet's
envelope which is higher than the one derived from the interior models. In this
latter case, reconciling the interior models with the amount of C measured by
the Cassini spacecraft requires that significant differential sedimentation of
water and volatile species have taken place in Saturn's interior during its
lifetime.
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http://arXiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0511392 , 39kb)