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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
A likely origin of the asteroids (and possibly, of the comets?) is the natural outcome of the following scenario that we propose for the formation of the planets. Protoplanets of similar mass and solar composition will segregate in three different ways: For those far enough from the sun (like Uranus and Neptune), the segregation of icy grains releases enough energy to drive the remaining gases to infinity. For all other planets, the segregation of refractory material only does not release enough energy to disrupt the protoplanet; however, while spiraling inwards in a resisting medium, the terrestrial protoplanets cross their Roche limit and lose their gaseous outer layers. Asteroids (or comets) could therefore originate from the disruption of protoplanets before the settling of their refractory (or icy) grains is completed.