Planetary Science Seminar

Several aspects surrounding the early evolution of our Solar System remain shrouded in mystery, particularly those responsible for the divergent evolutionary paths of its planetary bodies. Based on observational evidence that both Mercury and the Moon underwent an early, large-scale melting event (i.e., magma ocean), I apply magma ocean predictions to recent results of the GRAIL and MESSENGER missions, to refine and establish new constraints on Solar System chronology via the Moon, as well as compositional variations of the Solar System via Mercury.