A recent study hints at a fascinating connection between Jupiter’s cosmic wanderings and the creation of Earth’s moon during the great planetary instability.
The celestial turmoil, marked by the erratic movements of Jupiter and other gas giants through the solar system, aligns remarkably well with the collision event that gave rise to Earth’s moon. Could these two phenomena be intertwined?
Scientific detective work has linked a particular type of meteorite to an asteroid that was influenced by the gravitational chaos caused by the migrating gas giants, especially Jupiter. This upheaval, known as the “great instability,” occurred roughly 60 to 100 million years after the formation of the solar system.
The study delves into the fascinating possibility that Jupiter’s migration may have played a crucial role in the formation of Earth’s moon. By destabilizing the orbit of a Mars-size protoplanet called Theia, Jupiter could have triggered a collision with Earth, resulting in the ejection of debris that eventually coalesced to form the moon.
The timeframe of these events aligns with the known history of the solar system. The “Nice Model,” named after the city in France where it was conceived, proposes that the great instability occurred within the first 100 million years of the solar system’s existence. This model suggests that Jupiter’s migration led to the scattering of asteroids and comets, including the progenitor of the Athor asteroid family, which holds clues to this cosmic upheaval.
Using dynamical simulations, researchers estimate that Jupiter’s influence on the Athor progenitor occurred between 60 to 100 million years after the solar system’s birth. This timeframe coincides intriguingly with the collision between Earth and Theia, which is believed to have formed the moon.
While conclusive proof of Jupiter’s involvement remains elusive due to the ancient nature of these events, the evidence presented in this study offers compelling support for the idea. Published in the journal Science and presented at the European Geological Union General Assembly in Vienna, these findings shed new light on the complex interplay between giant planets and the formation of celestial bodies in our solar system.”