The shaping of terrestrial planets by late accretions

The shaping of terrestrial planets by late accretions

Terrestrial planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars—formed by the accretion of smaller objects. The Earth was probably the latest terrestrial planet to form and reached about 99% of its final mass within about 60–100 Myr after condensation of the first solids in the Solar System. This Review examines the disproportionate role of the last approximately 1% of planetary growth, or late accretion, in controlling the long-term evolution of the Earth a…