HR: 11:55h
AN: P32A-07 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Satellite Formation
AU: * Canup, R M
EM: robin@boulder.swri.edu
AF: Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 400, Boulder, CO 80302
AB: The multitude of satellites in our solar system suggests that satellite formation was a natural byproduct of planet formation. Several processes appear promising candidates for producing large satellites or satellite systems. The Moon is thought to have resulted from what was perhaps the largest impact of Earth's accretion, and a giant collision may have also led to the formation of the Pluto-Charon system. The large regular outer planetary satellites are believed to have co-formed with their parent planets, with satellites accumulating within circumplanetary accretion disks during the final stages of their planet's own growth. Recent work on satellite formation and its potential implications for planet formation processes will be presented. Support from NASA and NSF is gratefully acknowledged.
DE: 5749 Origin and evolution
DE: 6207 Comparative planetology
DE: 6218 Jovian satellites
DE: 6270 Pluto and satellites
DE: 6280 Saturnian satellites
SC: Planetary Sciences [P]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting