2010/01/06 by Jeong-Eun Lee, Edwin A. Bergin, Hideko Nomura · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Accretion (finance) #Asteroid #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Carbon fibers #Earth (classical element) #Formation and evolution of the Solar System #Planet #Scientific Research and Discoveries #Silicate #Solar System #astro-ph.EP #astro-ph.GA
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/710/1/l21
To appear in ApJ Letters
arxiv created 2010/01/06 · openalex publication_date 2010/01/19 · arxiv updated 2015/05/14 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Despite a surface dominated by carbon-based life, the bulk composition of the Earth is dramatically carbon poor when compared to the material available at formation. Bulk carbon deficiency extends into the asteroid belt representing a fossil record of the conditions under which planets are born. The initial steps of planet formation involve the growth of primitive sub-micron silicate and carbon grains in the Solar Nebula. We present a solution wherein primordial carbon grains are preferentially destroyed by oxygen atoms ignited by heating due to stellar accretion at radii <5 AU. This solution can account for the bulk carbon deficiency in the Earth and meteorites, the compositional gradient within the asteroid belt, and for growing evidence for similar carbon deficiency in rocks surrounding other stars.