Skip to content

Commit 4bbf882

Browse files
Add Worksheet 4 and Mini-Lecture 4 for Surfaces and Interiors
Worksheet 4 covers Lectures 7-8: impact energetics and crater scaling, crater chronology from the Neukum lunar curve, moment of inertia and Mercury's two-layer model, central pressure of a uniform body, and seismic shadow zones. Five problems, fifteen parts, sized to the same two-hour standard as the first three worksheets. Full solutions ship alongside the problem sheet, and check_worksheet04.py re-derives every printed number in Python to keep the two in sync. The mini-lecture gives the TAs an eight-slide recap of the physics each problem needs, without working any problem's own numbers, so it primes the tutorial without pre-answering it. fig_neukum_chronology.py gains a show_readoff flag so the worksheet can reuse the lecture's chronology figure without its worked read-off annotation. I also correct the course planning doc's Worksheet 4 topic list, which still named isostasy and omitted seismology from an earlier draft of the syllabus, and fill in its problem/part counts and draft dates to match every other worksheet's entry.
1 parent 76346a7 commit 4bbf882

16 files changed

Lines changed: 815 additions & 22 deletions

File tree

566 KB
Binary file not shown.
56 KB
Binary file not shown.
76.4 KB
Binary file not shown.

book/minilectures.md

Lines changed: 1 addition & 0 deletions
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ Use them as a compact revision aid: if a slide feels unfamiliar, the correspondi
1212
| 1 | Orbits & Formation | {ref}`Lecture 1 <lecture01>`, {ref}`Lecture 2 <lecture02>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/minilectures/minilecture01.pdf) |
1313
| 2 | Thermal Evolution & Differentiation | {ref}`Lecture 3 <lecture03>`, {ref}`Lecture 4 <lecture04>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/minilectures/minilecture02.pdf) |
1414
| 3 | Atmospheres: Structure, Clouds, & Climate | {ref}`Lecture 5 <lecture05>`, {ref}`Lecture 6 <lecture06>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/minilectures/minilecture03.pdf) |
15+
| 4 | Surfaces & Interiors: Craters, Pressure, & Seismology | {ref}`Lecture 7 <lecture07>`, {ref}`Lecture 8 <lecture08>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/minilectures/minilecture04.pdf) |

book/worksheets.md

Lines changed: 2 additions & 1 deletion
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -13,14 +13,15 @@ Work each problem through before opening the solutions: the solutions are comple
1313
| 1 | {ref}`Lecture 1 <lecture01>`, {ref}`Lecture 2 <lecture02>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet01.pdf) | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet01_solutions.pdf) |
1414
| 2 | {ref}`Lecture 3 <lecture03>`, {ref}`Lecture 4 <lecture04>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet02.pdf) | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet02_solutions.pdf) |
1515
| 3 | {ref}`Lecture 5 <lecture05>`, {ref}`Lecture 6 <lecture06>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet03.pdf) | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet03_solutions.pdf) |
16+
| 4 | {ref}`Lecture 7 <lecture07>`, {ref}`Lecture 8 <lecture08>` | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet04.pdf) | [Download (PDF)](_static/worksheets/worksheet04_solutions.pdf) |
1617

1718

1819
## What each worksheet covers
1920

2021
1. **Orbits and formation** ({ref}`lecture01`, {ref}`lecture02`): Kepler's laws, the vis-viva equation, orbital resonances, tides and the Roche limit, gravitational focusing and the growth regimes.
2122
2. **Thermal evolution and differentiation** ({ref}`lecture03`, {ref}`lecture04`): radiogenic heating, cooling timescales and convective regimes, the thermal-evolution energy balance, core formation, dynamo feasibility.
2223
3. **Atmospheres** ({ref}`lecture05`, {ref}`lecture06`): scale heights and column mass, radiative equilibrium and the greenhouse effect, cloud condensation and the lifting condensation level, rotation and geostrophic balance, the faint young Sun and the carbonate-silicate thermostat.
23-
4. **Surfaces and interiors** ({ref}`lecture07`, {ref}`lecture08`): crater chronology, impact energetics, moment of inertia, isostasy, central pressures.
24+
4. **Surfaces and interiors** ({ref}`lecture07`, {ref}`lecture08`): impact energetics, crater chronology, moment of inertia, central pressure, seismology.
2425
5. **Terrestrial planets** ({ref}`lecture09`, {ref}`lecture10`): comparative energy balance, water loss from Venus, the Martian volatile inventory, Mercury's spin-orbit resonance.
2526
6. **Giant planets and small bodies** ({ref}`lecture11`, {ref}`lecture12`): interior transitions, ring dynamics, isotopic dating, Kirkwood gaps, cometary activity.
2627
7. **Exoplanets and synthesis** ({ref}`lecture13`, {ref}`lecture14`): radial-velocity and transit measurements, the habitable zone, transmission spectroscopy, the solar system in the exoplanet population.

minilectures/Makefile

Lines changed: 1 addition & 1 deletion
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
1-
MINIS = minilecture01 minilecture02 minilecture03
1+
MINIS = minilecture01 minilecture02 minilecture03 minilecture04
22
LATEXMK = latexmk -xelatex -interaction=nonstopmode
33

44
.PHONY: all clean web assets $(MINIS)
Lines changed: 177 additions & 0 deletions
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
1+
% minilecture04.tex: Tutorial 4 mini-lecture: Surfaces & Interiors
2+
% Planetary Systems, Kapteyn Institute, University of Groningen
3+
% A 5-10 minute recap, presented by the TAs at the start of Tutorial 4,
4+
% of the Lecture 7-8 concepts that Worksheet 4 trains.
5+
6+
\documentclass[aspectratio=169, 11pt]{beamer}
7+
8+
% ── Theme and macros (shared with the lecture decks) ────────
9+
\usepackage{../../slides/common/beamerthemeIPS}
10+
\input{../../slides/common/macros}
11+
\graphicspath{{figures/}{../../slides/lecture08/figures/}{../../slides/lecture07/figures/}{../../slides/common/}}
12+
13+
% ── Metadata ────────────────────────────────────────────────
14+
\title[T4 mini-lecture: Surfaces \& Interiors]{Tutorial 4 Mini-Lecture:\\Surfaces \& Interiors: Craters, Pressure, \& Seismology}
15+
\subtitle{The concepts behind Worksheet 4 \textbullet\ Lectures 7--8}
16+
\author{}
17+
\institute{Kapteyn Astronomical Institute\\University of Groningen}
18+
\date{2026}
19+
\titlebgcredit{Earth's interior cross-section. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech}
20+
\titlebgopacity{0.55}
21+
22+
% ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
23+
\begin{document}
24+
25+
% ── Title slide ─────────────────────────────────────────────
26+
\begin{frame}[plain,noframenumbering]
27+
\titlepage
28+
\end{frame}
29+
30+
% ── Roadmap ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
31+
\begin{frame}{What Worksheet 4 trains}
32+
Five problems, all built on Lectures 7--8. The physics you need, per problem:
33+
\vskip4pt\relax
34+
\begin{enumerate}
35+
\item \textbf{Impact energetics on Mars}: impactor mass and energy, gravity-regime crater scaling, the simple-to-complex transition.
36+
\item \textbf{Reading ages from craters}: the crater chronology $N(T)$, its linear and exponential branches, the printed chronology figure.
37+
\item \textbf{Moment of inertia and the inside of Mercury}: the two-layer model, layer densities, what $C/MR^2$ measures.
38+
\item \textbf{Central pressure}: hydrostatic equilibrium, the uniform-density pressure profile, why it is a lower bound.
39+
\item \textbf{Seismology}: shadow zones, what liquid layers do to S and P waves, the Adams-Williamson assumptions.
40+
\end{enumerate}
41+
\vskip2pt\relax
42+
\keyresult{Every problem has the shape and level of one exam question. All parts are analytical; no computer is needed.}
43+
\end{frame}
44+
45+
% ── P1 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
46+
\begin{frame}{Impact energetics on Mars}
47+
\small
48+
\begin{columns}[T]
49+
\column{0.52\textwidth}
50+
The gravity-regime scaling of Lecture 7:
51+
\[
52+
\boxed{D \approx \left(\frac{E_k}{\rho_t\,g}\right)^{1/4}}
53+
\qquad D \propto L^{3/4}
54+
\]
55+
\begin{itemize}
56+
\item $E_k = \tfrac{1}{2}mv^2$ with $m = \tfrac{4}{3}\pi r^3 \rho$: the whole chain runs in SI units.
57+
\item The fourth root compresses hard: check how many orders of magnitude in energy correspond to one order of magnitude in diameter.
58+
\end{itemize}
59+
60+
\column{0.44\textwidth}
61+
\begin{block}{Simple or complex?}
62+
The transition diameter scales as $D_t \propto 1/g$: stronger gravity collapses smaller cavities. Locate the martian transition from the lunar one, then classify your crater against it.
63+
\end{block}
64+
\end{columns}
65+
\vskip2pt\relax
66+
\keyresult{One scaling law connects the impactor you cannot see to the crater you can measure.}
67+
\end{frame}
68+
69+
% ── P2 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
70+
\begin{frame}{Reading ages from craters}
71+
\small
72+
\begin{columns}[T]
73+
\column{0.52\textwidth}
74+
The lunar chronology of Lecture 7:
75+
\[
76+
\boxed{N(\geq 1\,\mathrm{km}) = a\left(e^{\lambda T} - 1\right) + b\,T}
77+
\]
78+
\begin{itemize}
79+
\item Young surfaces lie on the linear branch: steady flux, $N \approx bT$, age is a division.
80+
\item Old surfaces lie on the exponential branch of the early bombardment: $N$ grows exponentially with $T$.
81+
\end{itemize}
82+
83+
\column{0.44\textwidth}
84+
\begin{block}{Iterate, do not invert}
85+
The full $N(T)$ has no closed-form inverse. On the steep branch, neglect the small term, solve, then correct once with the term you dropped. On the shallow branch, check the dropped term is small instead.
86+
\end{block}
87+
\end{columns}
88+
\vskip2pt\relax
89+
\keyresult{The same measurement error means different things on different branches: check which branch you are on before you trust a crater age.}
90+
\end{frame}
91+
92+
% ── P3 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
93+
\begin{frame}{Moment of inertia and the inside of Mercury}
94+
\small
95+
\begin{columns}[T]
96+
\column{0.52\textwidth}
97+
The two-layer model of Lecture 8:
98+
\[
99+
\boxed{\frac{C}{MR^2} = \frac{2}{5}\,\frac{(f-1)\,x^5 + 1}{(f-1)\,x^3 + 1}}
100+
\quad f = \frac{\rho_c}{\rho_m}
101+
\]
102+
\begin{itemize}
103+
\item A uniform sphere gives $0.400$; every planet measures below it, and the deficit measures central condensation.
104+
\item Mass balance fixes the layer densities: core mass in core volume, the rest in the mantle shell.
105+
\end{itemize}
106+
107+
\column{0.44\textwidth}
108+
\begin{block}{Small cores hide well}
109+
A core of radius fraction $x$ fills only $x^3$ of the volume. Before judging any claim from $C/MR^2$, compute how far a plausible core can move the number at all.
110+
\end{block}
111+
\end{columns}
112+
\vskip2pt\relax
113+
\keyresult{$C/MR^2$ is measured from spin and gravity without drilling a hole; it is the single most informative number about a planetary interior.}
114+
\end{frame}
115+
116+
% ── P4 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
117+
\begin{frame}{Central pressure}
118+
\small
119+
\begin{columns}[T]
120+
\column{0.52\textwidth}
121+
Hydrostatic equilibrium at uniform density:
122+
\[
123+
\boxed{P_c = \frac{2\pi}{3}\,G\bar\rho^2 R^2 = \frac{3GM^2}{8\pi R^4}}
124+
\]
125+
\begin{itemize}
126+
\item Derive it once: integrate $\dd P/\dd r = -Gm(r)\rho/r^2$ from the centre to the surface.
127+
\item The two forms must agree; use the second as a cross-check on the first.
128+
\end{itemize}
129+
130+
\column{0.44\textwidth}
131+
\begin{block}{What changes if density is not uniform?}
132+
Compare the enclosed-mass term at fixed $r$ for a centrally concentrated profile against a uniform one. State only which term grows, not the direction of the final inequality.
133+
\end{block}
134+
\end{columns}
135+
\vskip2pt\relax
136+
\keyresult{The central pressure of a uniform body depends only on its mass and radius; the strong $M^2/R^4$ scaling separates the planets by orders of magnitude.}
137+
\end{frame}
138+
139+
% ── P5 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
140+
\begin{frame}{Seismology: listening to interiors}
141+
\small
142+
\begin{columns}[T]
143+
\column{0.52\textwidth}
144+
The wave speeds of Lecture 8:
145+
\[
146+
\boxed{v_S = \sqrt{\frac{\mu}{\rho}}
147+
\qquad
148+
v_P = \sqrt{\frac{K + \tfrac{4}{3}\mu}{\rho}}}
149+
\]
150+
\begin{itemize}
151+
\item A liquid has no shear modulus: $\mu = 0$ stops S waves entirely.
152+
\item P waves pass through liquids, but a speed drop at a boundary bends the rays and opens a shadow ring.
153+
\end{itemize}
154+
155+
\column{0.44\textwidth}
156+
\begin{block}{Two shadows, two mechanisms}
157+
One shadow comes from absorption, the other from refraction. For each observation, state which mechanism makes it and which interior property it therefore proves.
158+
\end{block}
159+
\end{columns}
160+
\vskip2pt\relax
161+
\keyresult{What is missing from a seismogram tells as much as what arrives: shadow zones map liquid layers on any planet with a seismometer.}
162+
\end{frame}
163+
164+
% ── Closer ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
165+
\begin{frame}{Working the worksheet}
166+
\begin{itemize}
167+
\item \textbf{Show your algebra.} The exam asks for the steps, not only the number.
168+
\item Carry \textbf{4 significant figures} through intermediate steps; round at the end.
169+
\item Use the \textbf{checkpoints} ("show that \ldots") to verify your work and to keep moving if a step resists.
170+
\item Qualitative parts want \textbf{2 to 3 sentences} of physics, not an essay.
171+
\item Problem 2 reads the chronology figure printed on the sheet; Problem 5 is entirely qualitative and trains the exam skill of arguing from mechanisms.
172+
\end{itemize}
173+
\vskip8pt\relax
174+
\keyresult{Worksheet and full solutions: \texttt{ips.formingworlds.space/worksheets.html}. We discuss questions, not presentations of the solutions.}
175+
\end{frame}
176+
177+
\end{document}

planning/course_development.md

Lines changed: 8 additions & 7 deletions
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -515,10 +515,10 @@ The synodic-period and launch-window calculation is held back for a mock exam.
515515
- Crater counting: derive surface ages from crater size–frequency distributions
516516
- Impact energy: calculate energy released by impactors of different sizes and velocities
517517
- Moment of inertia: constrain internal structure from C/MR² values
518-
- Isostasy: crustal thickness variations and gravitational anomalies
519-
- Interior pressure: estimate central pressure of a terrestrial planet
518+
- Interior pressure: estimate central pressure of a terrestrial planet, and why a uniform-density estimate is a lower bound
519+
- Seismology: shadow zones and what liquid layers do to S and P waves
520520

521-
**Format:** Problem set (analytical)
521+
**Format:** Problem set (analytical); 5 problems, 15 parts; one part reads the printed chronology figure
522522

523523
### Worksheet 5: Terrestrial Planets
524524
**Follows:** Lectures 9–10
@@ -615,10 +615,11 @@ Order:
615615
10. L04 slides
616616
11. Worksheet 02 (L03 + L04)
617617
12. L05 notes → L05 slides → L06 notes → L06 slides → Worksheet 03 (L05 + L06)
618-
13. L07 notes → L07 slides → L08 notes → L08 slides → Worksheet 04 (L07 + L08)
619-
14. L09 notes → L09 slides → L10 notes → L10 slides → Worksheet 05 (L09 + L10)
620-
15. L11 notes → L11 slides → L12 notes → L12 slides → Worksheet 06 (L11 + L12)
621-
16. L13 notes → L13 slides → L14 notes → L14 slides → Worksheet 07 (L13 + L14)
618+
13. L07 notes → L07 slides → L08 notes → L08 slides → Worksheet 04 (L07 + L08) (drafted 2026-08-20; 5 problems / 15 parts, 3-page sheet plus solutions)
619+
14. Mini-lecture 04 (Tutorial 4, L07 + L08) (drafted 2026-08-20; 8 slides)
620+
15. L09 notes → L09 slides → L10 notes → L10 slides → Worksheet 05 (L09 + L10)
621+
16. L11 notes → L11 slides → L12 notes → L12 slides → Worksheet 06 (L11 + L12)
622+
17. L13 notes → L13 slides → L14 notes → L14 slides → Worksheet 07 (L13 + L14)
622623

623624
### Materials to Create
624625

scripts/figures/L07_surfaces/fig_neukum_chronology.py

Lines changed: 15 additions & 12 deletions
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ def age_from_density(n: float) -> float:
6262
return brentq(lambda t: n_of_t(t) - n, 1e-6, 4.5)
6363

6464

65-
def make_plot() -> Path:
65+
def make_plot(show_readoff: bool = True) -> Path:
66+
"""Draw the chronology; `show_readoff=False` omits the worked read-off."""
6667
apply_style()
6768
t = np.linspace(0.0, 4.5, 900)
6869

@@ -74,13 +75,14 @@ def make_plot() -> Path:
7475
ax.plot(t, n_of_t(t), color="black", lw=2.0,
7576
label="Neukum, Ivanov and Hartmann (2001)")
7677

77-
# Read-off: a measured crater density inverts to a surface age
78-
t_read = age_from_density(READ_OFF_DENSITY)
79-
ax.plot([0.0, t_read], [READ_OFF_DENSITY] * 2,
80-
color="#b02418", lw=1.2, ls="--")
81-
ax.plot([t_read, t_read], [1e-5, READ_OFF_DENSITY],
82-
color="#b02418", lw=1.2, ls="--")
83-
ax.plot([t_read], [READ_OFF_DENSITY], "o", color="#b02418", ms=6)
78+
if show_readoff:
79+
# Read-off: a measured crater density inverts to a surface age
80+
t_read = age_from_density(READ_OFF_DENSITY)
81+
ax.plot([0.0, t_read], [READ_OFF_DENSITY] * 2,
82+
color="#b02418", lw=1.2, ls="--")
83+
ax.plot([t_read, t_read], [1e-5, READ_OFF_DENSITY],
84+
color="#b02418", lw=1.2, ls="--")
85+
ax.plot([t_read], [READ_OFF_DENSITY], "o", color="#b02418", ms=6)
8486

8587
ax.set_xlim(0.0, 4.5)
8688
# The curve passes 1 km^-2 near 4.4 Gyr, so the top of the axis has to
@@ -111,10 +113,11 @@ def make_plot() -> Path:
111113
ax.text(4.21, 2.2e-5, "unconstrained", fontsize=9, color="0.35",
112114
rotation=90, ha="center", va="bottom")
113115

114-
ax.text(0.16, 1.9e-2,
115-
f"measured $N(1) = 10^{{-2}}$ km$^{{-2}}$\n"
116-
f"$\\rightarrow T \\approx {t_read:.2f}$ Gyr",
117-
fontsize=9.5, color="#b02418", va="bottom")
116+
if show_readoff:
117+
ax.text(0.16, 1.9e-2,
118+
f"measured $N(1) = 10^{{-2}}$ km$^{{-2}}$\n"
119+
f"$\\rightarrow T \\approx {t_read:.2f}$ Gyr",
120+
fontsize=9.5, color="#b02418", va="bottom")
118121

119122
ax.legend(loc="lower right", frameon=True, fontsize=9)
120123

0 commit comments

Comments
 (0)