DLR Institute of Planetary Research

You are here: Home:Departments:Planetary Physics

Interior Structure of Planetary Bodies

The determination of the interior structure of our neighbouring planets and their satellites has been and will be an important scientific objective of interplanetary space missions targeted at different classes of solar system objects.

Mantle Convection in Planets and Moons

Thermal and chemical convection provides a framework to reconcile observations of planetary magnetic and gravity fields, surface heat flow, distribution of volcanoes and tectonic structures, geo- & cosmochemistry, and mineral physics.

Gravitational and Magnetic Fields

One of the approaches to study interiors of planets is to carefully analyse the internally generated fields extending to the outer space i.e. gravitation and magnetic field.

Seismology of Planetary Bodies

At the focus of an earthquake, elastic waves are produced that propagate through the planet.

Habitability and Thermal Evolution

Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. We are looking at the connections between the thermal evolution and state of planets and the ability of these to host life.

Tectonics of Planetary Surfaces

Processes in the interior of planetary bodies cause the formation of tectonic structures like orogenic belts and graben.

Thermal and Physical Modeling of Planetary Surfaces

The remote sensing methods used in planetary expolartion have made significant progess during recent years. This is especially true for imaging infrared spectroscopy and Fourier spectroscopy with a very high spectral resolution. These methods yield a vast amount of information about planetary surfaces and atmospheres and even more is coming on future missions.

Thermal Probe for Measuring Surface Heat Flow

Regoliths, the soil-like materials characteristic of the surface of various planets, moons and other minor bodies in the solar system, store in their physical properties a record of the physical and chemical processes that have taken place during and after their deposition.