The study of the internal structure and composition of planets, including seismic studies and planetary magnetic fields.
Planetary Formation and Differentiation: The processes by which planets are formed from dust and gas, and the subsequent differentiation of their interior structure into core, mantle, and crust.
Density and Gravity: The relationship between a planet’s mass and its gravitational pull, and how this relates to its density and overall structure.
Seismic Waves and Earthquakes: The study of how seismic waves travel through a planet, and how they can be used to infer its interior structure and composition.
Heat Transfer and Convection: The transfer of heat within a planet’s interior, and how it can drive convection and other dynamic processes.
Magnetism and Dynamo Theory: The generation of a planet’s magnetic field and its interaction with its interior structure and other environmental factors.
Plate Tectonics and Surface Processes: The interactions between a planet’s interior dynamics and its surface features, including plate tectonics, volcanism, erosion, and other geological processes.
Planetary Atmospheres and Climate: The study of a planet’s atmospheric composition, dynamics, and interactions with its interior and surface features.
Planetary Surfaces and Remote Sensing: Techniques for studying a planet’s surface composition, structure, and topography, including remote sensing imaging and spectroscopy.
Planetary Exploration and Mission Design: The planning and execution of missions to explore planetary interiors, including spacecraft design, mission planning, and data analysis.
Planetary Evolution and Habitability: The study of how a planet’s interior structure, surface features, and atmospheric conditions have evolved over time, and how this relates to the possibility of life existing on other planets.
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteorites: The study of small bodies in the solar system, and their role in understanding planetary interiors and formation processes.
Geochemistry and Isotope Analysis: Techniques for studying the chemical composition of planetary materials, including isotopic analysis and other geochemical methods.
Planetary Dynamics and Orbital Mechanics: The study of how planets interact with each other and with other bodies in the solar system, including orbital mechanics, gravitational interactions, and other dynamic processes.
Planetary Rings and Satellites: The study of planetary rings and their relationship to planetary interiors and dynamics, as well as the study of natural satellites and their role in understanding planetary systems.
Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology: The interdisciplinary study of planetary science and its role in understanding the origin and evolution of life in the universe.
Crust: The outermost layer of a planet. It is solid and composed of rocks, minerals, and metals. The thickness of the crust depends on the size and mass of the planet.
Mantle: The layer beneath the crust, which makes up the majority of a planet's volume. The mantle is primarily composed of silicate rocks and is largely responsible for the convection that drives plate tectonics.
Core: The central part of a planet, which is composed of metallic elements such as iron and nickel. The core is divided into two parts: the inner core, which is solid, and the outer core, which is liquid.
Atmosphere: The layer of gas that surrounds a planet, held in place by gravity. The composition of the atmosphere varies from planet to planet, depending on factors such as temperature, pressure, and distance from the sun.
Magnetosphere: The region of a planet's space around the planet where the planet's magnetic field dominates over the planetary wind. The magnetosphere is shaped by the interaction of the planet's magnetic field with the solar wind, which is composed of charged particles ejected from the sun.