Workshop on Early Planetary Differentiation : December 8-10, 2006

Abstract

The last 15 years have seen a dramatic refinement of timescales over which differentiation occurred and an increase in the sophistication of our understanding of orbital dynamics, accretion, and mechanisms of the differentiation process. These insights have been a consequence of not only significant experimental, analytical, theoretical, and computational advances, but also a broader perspective of planetary differentiation derived by contrasting planetary settings (Earth, Moon, Mars, asteroids). Traditionally, issues surrounding planetary differentiation have been addressed in planet- and discipline-specific contexts. The goal of this workshop, which has been endorsed by the Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials (CAPTEM), is to integrate these advances into a richer understanding of the earliest stages of planetary evolution.