Stimulated Radiative Molecular Association in the Early Solar System. II. Orbital Radii of the Planets and Other Satellites of the Sun

Abstract

In a previous investigation, the orbital radii of regular satellites of Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, and Saturn are shown to be directly related to photon energies in the spectra of atomic and molecular hydrogen. To explain these observations a model was developed involving stimulated radiative molecular association (SRMA) reactions among photons and atoms in the protosatellite disks of the planets. In the present investigation, the previously developed model is applied to the planets and important satellites of the Sun. A key component of the model involves resonance associated with SRMA. Through this resonance, thermal energy is extracted from the protosun's protoplanetary disk at specific distances from the protosun wherever there is a match between the local thermal energy of the disk and the energy of photons impinging on the disk. Orbital radii of the planets and satellites are related to photon energies ($E_P$ values) in the spectrum of atomic hydrogen. An expression determined previously is used to relate $E_P$ values to temperatures in the disk. Results indicate the surface temperature of the protosun at the time when the evolution of the planets begins is higher than the surface temperature of a typical T Tauri star. The present investigation offers an explanation for the existence of the asteroid and classical Kuiper belts and predicts that a primordial belt once existed in the vicinity of Neptune. It also indicates that Uranus is formed from two protoplanets and is thus consistent with the theory that the large tilt of Uranus's axis of rotation was created by the collision of two bodies.