Astrophysics (Index)About

radioactive heating

(radiogenic heating)
(a source of heat of some planets and moons)

Radioactive heating (aka radiogenic heating) is heating due to radioactive decay, i.e., emission of alpha rays, beta rays, or gamma rays, from unstable isotopes. It can be a significant source of heat within planets and moons, including Earth and the Moon. It has also been used as a spacecraft energy source. Regarding Earth, it is theorized to be sufficiently significant to constitute one key to Earth's active geology, plate tectonics, and habitability.


(physics,radioactivity)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decay_heat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_internal_heat_budget
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_heater_unit
http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2014/ph241/estrada1/
https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100401866

Referenced by pages:
atmospheric escape
Earth
magma ocean
MMRTG
planet structure
radiation zone
radioactive decay

Index