What is a Planet?
| Scientific Paper | |
|---|---|
| Title | What is a Planet? |
| Author(s) | Alexander A Scarborough |
| Keywords | planetary evolution, internal nucleo-synthesis |
| Published | 2006 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the NPA |
| Volume | 3 |
| Number | 2 |
| Pages | 260-262 |
Abstract
All planets began as small cometary-like stars that now have evolved into the second, third, fourth, or fifth stage of spherical planetary evolution at rates in full accord with size and time. The best-known examples are, respectively, Jupiter (gaseous), Uranus (transitional), Earth (rocky), and Mercury (inactive). Planets are self-sustaining entities, generally revolving around a larger central mass while evolving through five observable stages of evolution (E) via internal nucleo-synthesis (IN) and in full compliance with natural laws of planetary systems; e.g., the laws of planetary motion, gravity, and the ongoing energy-matter relationship expressed as E=mc2(?). Other than different rates of evolution and subsequent variations in compositional matter, spherical size is immaterial. However, in every case, IN and E are crucial: one cannot exist without the other during the billions of years of transformation of their nuclear energy cores into planetary matter.
This paper is aka "What Are Planets?"