Interiors of the Giant Planets

It is pointed out that interior models, together with careful and concise statements of their assumptions and uncertainties, play an essential role in any assessment of solar system formation and evolution. Since the giant planets comprise about 99.5% of the planetary mass, any satisfactory theory for solar system formation must be consistent with the inferences reported in this investigation. The planetary models rest on two foundations, including planetary observations and high pressure physics. A description is provided of the observations which constrain the interior and of the relevant high temperature physics. Procedures are discussed for constructing both static and evolutionary models. Hydrogen and helium are in approximately cosmic ratio on average and together form the dominant component of Jupiter and Saturn. All the giant planets possess central concentrations of heavy elements (rock and/or ice) of roughly ten or twenty earth masses.