Writing: Input Wanted A 'failed' Runaway Moist Greenhouse: Need help to model...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nik_2213
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Greenhouse
AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on modeling an Earth-sized exoplanet with a 'failed' Runaway Moist Greenhouse scenario, characterized by a slightly smaller core and thicker mantle than Earth. This planet orbits near the inner edge of the habitable zone of an early K-type star, resulting in a longer day length of approximately 31 hours. It has a sufficient magnetic field to prevent atmospheric stripping, leading to mostly arid conditions with limited water bodies. Volcanic activity from a Large Igneous Province has contributed to the atmosphere, but a lack of water has stalled the runaway greenhouse effect. The user seeks assistance from atmospheric scientists to accurately model the pressure and temperature conditions across the planet's lowlands and volcanic summits.
Nik_2213
Messages
1,218
Reaction score
493
I'm trying to model an Earth-sized exo-planet, ~1.1g, with 'failed' Runaway Moist Greenhouse...
Slightly smaller core than Earth's, with thicker mantle and crust. So, larger than Earth, but not by much.
Sitting near inner-edge of 'Hab Zone' of Early-K-type star, orange-ish rather than Sol's yellow.
Day length ~31 hours due 'solar tides'.
There's sufficient magnetic field to prevent rapid atmospheric 'stripping' as happened on Mars...
Due timing of system's 'Late Heavy Bombardment' equivalent, the planet is 'mostly arid', no vast oceans, just enough for a few 'seas' and Great Lakes.
If was cool enough for such...
And, without ample water to help lubricate tectonics, no 'Terran' multiplicity of subduction zones.
Just one (1) big 'hotspot'. A 'Large Igneous Province'. Think Mars' Olympus complex. Not so tall, though as, despite thicker crust, limited by ~1.1 g gravity.
Still, enough to build 'Shield' the size of Australia, with sundry dormant cones and caldera, some smoking / fizzing vents...
The 'LIP' has out-gassed enough CO2 and H2O to top-up basic N2 'atmosphere' and start planet towards a 'Runaway Moist Greenhouse'.
The lowlands' water evaporated to salt flats and brine pools, think Med's 'Messinian' period, briskly bootstrapping 'Runaway'...
But, then the supply of water ceased, the 'Runaway' stalled...

Okay, another big eruptive 'pulse' from the 'LIP' might provide enough extra atmospheric CO2 + H2O to 'Go the Distance', turn planet to a 'Lesser Venus'.
But, for now, the summits of the cones and rims atop 'LIP' are still 'condensing'.
The volcanic sulphur has long-since washed out of atmosphere.
There are many springs, even a few streams draining acidic pools and volcanic lakes. These run down-hill, either soak in or simply evaporate...
Hmm...
I need pressure & temperature across lowlands to be 'dire', utterly inhospitable, yet conditions atop LIP to be 'condensing' at not more than 2~~3 Bar.
Yes, 'SCUBA ' range, perhaps with a partial Heliox mix...

Sorry, I've tried to 'Do the Math', but it keeps beating me: Is there an 'Atmospheric Scientist' in the room ??
 
A map of a four-dimensional planet is three dimensional, so such can exist in our Universe. I made one and posted a video to the Internet. This is all based on William Kingdon Clifford's math from the 19th century. It works like this. A 4D planet has two perpendicular planes of rotation. The intersection of such a plane with the surface of the planet is a great circle. We can define latitude as the arctan( distance from one plane/distance from the other plane). The set of all points...

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
6
Views
3K
Replies
11
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
4K
Replies
186
Views
88K
Back
Top