No clear consensus on planetary origins

Abstract

Many different things influence or motivate ideas on the origin of the Solar System: meteoritic measurements, observations of planets and comets, and a wide spectrum of astrophysical observations-not to mention philosophy. This year, astrophysical concerns were prominent at the 15th Lunar & Planetary Science Conference, in large part because of recent infrared astronomical satellite observations. However, the wide range of subjects stressed that the field has many aspects, an uncertain paradigm and no clearly developing consensus.

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