Interior and evolution of giant planets

 Studying the interiors of planets is important for understanding how they form and evolve. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is of particular significance as it is believed to have formed first, offering insights into the early stages of our system. The Juno mission, orbiting Jupiter since 2016, has changed our view of the planet's interior and revealed its complexity. By measuring extremely accurately the planet's gravity field, it has provided tight constraints for models of its internal structure.

In addition, further understanding of giant planet interiors can be obtained by studying their evolution. In Jupiter and Saturn, a phase separation between hydrogen and helium occurs, resulting in the formation of helium droplets which settle towards the deep interior. This phenomenon, also known as helium rain, can strongly affect their thermal evolution.

In this talk, I will first present our current understanding of Jupiter's interior inferred from interior models and I will discuss the challenges these models still encounter. Then, I will present recent results from evolution calculations of Jupiter and Saturn and compare the evolutionary trajectories of both planets.