The Atmospheric Circulations of Terrestrial Planets Orbiting Low Mass Stars

• Main Author: Edson, Adam Robert
• Other Authors: James Kasting, Sukyoung Lee, Peter Bannon, David Pollard, Steinn Sigurdsson, Diane Henderson
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Penn State 2008
• Subjects: Meteorology; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://etda.libraries.psu.edu/theses/approved/WorldWideIndex/ETD-2452/index.html

Atmospheres of planets orbiting low mass stars have properties unlike those typically studied by climatologists. One of the most glaring differences is that the rotation is trapped for planets orbiting within the habitable zone of the star. This lack of a typical day changes these planets dynamics. Previous work includes that of Gareth Williams and Manoj Joshi. Joshi discussed planets with 10-day orbits only. Williams focused on planets with differing rotation rates, but still rotating relative to their star. Here, tidally locked planets with a variety of orbital periods ranging from 1 to 100 days are discussed. The GENESIS model is used to simulate these planets, and the data are analyzed for waves, energy fluxes, and habitability. The major components of the energy fluxes are the mean meridional circulation (i.e., the Hadley cell) and stationary eddies in the form of a wave number 1 stationary Rossby wave. A transition point in the atmospheric circulation is identified for orbital periods between 100 hours and 101 hours for dry planets. For the wet planets, the transition occurs near 96-hour rotation period. This transition occurs when the Rossby radius of deformation approaches the planets radius and is associated with the increasing importance of the wave number two stationary eddy as the Rossby radius approaches the planetary radius. The most habitable dry planet is found to be the 2400-hour orbiter. For the wet planets, the 24-hour rotator is most habitable. The most habitable wet planet is the 24-hour rotator, with the least habitable wet planet being the 2400-hour rotator. The difference in the rotation period of the most habitable planets between the dry planets and the wet planets is caused by the availability of water vapor as a greenhouse gas, the added heat transport through sea ice movement, and the larger heat capacity for the wet planets. When realistic planets are modeled, the habitable surface area and average surface temperature is dependent on the landmass distribution. Large landmasses illuminated by the star draw down the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, which decreases the habitable area.