DIX Planetary Science Seminar

Many proposed dynamical scenarios of terrestrial planet formation successfully reproduce the architecture of the inner Solar System. However, while these various scenarios are capable of building the main astrophysical properties of the inner Solar System, they are mutually incompatible. To distinguish between these formation scenarios, we use the geochemistry of the terrestrial planets as additional constraints. To do this, we use a coupled N-body accretion and core-mantle differentiation model applied to a range of proposed formation scenarios (e.g. Classical, Annulus, and Grand Tack scenarios). This model calculates the mantle chemistry of Earth-like planets in Solar System formation simulations and adjusts the initial redox state of the building blocks in a synthetic protoplanetary disk until the mantle of the simulated Earth closely matches the bulk silicate Earth. In this talk, I will present our coupled model and how we have used it to investigate the compatibility of various proposed Solar System formation scenarios with the geochemistry of the Earth. Further, we use this framework to constrain the mass and redox state of the Moon-forming impactor, Theia. Finally, these models serve as a tool to re-evaluate the role of core formation in setting the iron isotopic composition of the mantle of the Earth.