Differentiation of Vesta: Implications for a shallow magma ocean

• Published in: Earth and planetary science letters Vol. 395; pp. 267 - 280
• Main Authors: Neumann, Wladimir, Breuer, Doris, Spohn, Tilman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2014
• Subjects: asteroids, composition, dynamics; interiors; meteorites; planetary dynamics; planetary formation; planetesimals; meteorites; planetary formation; asteroids, composition, dynamics; interiors; planetesimals; planetary dynamics

The Dawn mission confirms earlier predictions that the asteroid 4 Vesta is differentiated with an iron-rich core, a silicate mantle and a basaltic crust, and supports the conjecture of Vesta being the parent body of the HED meteorites. To better understand its early evolution, we perform numerical c...