Planetary science

Planetary science

The scientific study of planets including Earth, moons, and planetary systems of the Solar System in particular and the processes that form them.

Industry: Astronomy

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Planetary science

Subduction

Astronomy; Planetary science

The process describing when one lithospheric plate collides with and is overridden by, or descends under, an adjacent plate.

Breccia

Astronomy; Planetary science

Consolidated, fragmental rock consisting of rock, mineral, or glass fragments (also called clasts) embedded in a fine-grained matrix. (See also monomict and polymict. )

One of the three types of meteorites from Mars (the SNC meteorites). The type is named after the Shergotty meteorite, which fell in India in 1865. Basaltic shergottites consist mainly of plagioclase ...

Organic

Astronomy; Planetary science

Pertaining to carbon-containing compounds. Organic compounds can be formed by both biological and non-biological processes.

Moonquake

Astronomy; Planetary science

Sudden motion or trembling of the Moon caused by the abrupt release of slowly accumulated elastic energy in rocks.

Protostar

Astronomy; Planetary science

A star in the process of formation which has not yet become hot enough in the core to initiate the process of nuclear fusion (10 7 K) to halt its gravitational collapse.