Abstract
On the basis of the model proposed by Matsui and Abe, we will show that two major factors — distance from the Sun and the efficiency of retention of accretional energy — control the early evolution of the terrestrial planets. A diagram of accretional energy versus the optical depth of a proto-atmosphere provides a means to follow the evolutionary track of surface temperature of the terrestrial planets and an explanation for why the third planet in our solar system is an ‘aqua’-planet.
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Matsui, T., Abe, Y. Evolutionary tracks of the terrestrial planets. Earth Moon Planet 39, 207–214 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055050
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055050