Impact Erosion of Terrestrial Planetary Atmospheres
Abstract
I review current ideas about the nature of the planetesimals - composition, size distribution, and the planetary encounter velocity. Previous papers on accretion and erosion of planetary atmospheres as a result of multiple impacts are reviewed. Finally, the effects of blowing off a substantial fraction of the atmosphere from a terrestrial planet due to a single giant body impact are discussed.
- Publication:
-
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Pub Date:
- 1993
- DOI:
- 10.1146/annurev.ea.21.050193.002521
- Bibcode:
- 1993AREPS..21..525A
- Keywords:
-
- Collisions;
- Comets;
- Erosion;
- Impact Damage;
- Nebulae;
- Planetary Atmospheres;
- Planetary Evolution;
- Protoplanets;
- Terrestrial Planets;
- Interplanetary Dust;
- Shock Waves;
- Size Distribution