Jupiter Evolutionary Models Incorporating Stably Stratified Regions

Abstract

We address the issue of which broad set of initial conditions for the planet Jupiter best matches the current presence of a “fuzzy core” of heavy elements, while at the same time comporting with measured parameters such as its effective temperature, atmospheric helium abundance, radius, and atmospheric metallicity. Our focus is on the class of fuzzy cores that can survive convective mixing to the present day and on the unique challenges of an inhomogeneous Jupiter with stably stratified regions now demanded by the Juno gravity data. Hence, using the new code APPLE , we attempt to put a nonadiabatic Jupiter into an evolutionary context. This requires not only a mass density model, the major relevant byproduct of the Juno data, but a thermal model that is subject to interior heat transport, a realistic atmospheric flux boundary, a helium rain algorithm, and the latest equation of state. The result is a good fit to most major thermal, compositional, and structural constraints that still preserve a fuzzy core and that should inform future more detailed models of the current Jupiter in the context of its evolution from birth.

Keywords

• Solar system gas giant planets
• Extrasolar gaseous giant planets
• Planetary science
• Planetary structure
• Planetary cores
• Planetary interior