Theoretical planetology

: theoretical planetologists study many aspects of planetary bodies, such as how their magnetic fields are generated in their cores. Theoretical planetology uses computer graphics, scientific visualisation, and fluid dynamics extensively. Theoretical planetologists may use laboratory experiments to understand various phenomena analogous to planetary processes, such as convection in rotating fluids. == Educational requirements ==

Typically a theoretical planetologist will have to have had higher education in physics, astronomy, geophysics, or planetary science, at PhD doctorate level. == Scientific visualisation ==

Because of the use of scientific visualisation animation, theoretical planetology has a relationship with computer graphics. Example movies exhibiting this relation are the 4-minute "The Origin of the Moon" == Major successes ==

One of the major successes of theoretical planetology is the prediction and subsequent confirmation of volcanism on Io. The prediction was made by Stanton J. Peale who wrote a scientific paper claiming that Io must be volcanically active that was published one week before Voyager 1 encountered Jupiter. When Voyager 1 photographed Io in 1979, his theory was confirmed. Later photographs of Io by the Hubble Space Telescope and from the ground also showed volcanoes on Io's surface, and they were extensively studied and photographed by the Galileo orbiter of Jupiter from 1995-2003. == Criticism ==

D. C. Tozer of University of Newcastle upon Tyne, writing in 1974, expressed the opinion that "it could and will be said that theoretical planetary science is a waste of time" until problems related to "sampling and scaling" are resolved, even though these problems cannot be solved by simply collecting further laboratory data. == Researchers ==

Researchers working on theoretical planetology include: • David J. Stevenson == See also ==