Remember me
▼ Content

the atmosphere doesn't need CO2 and H2O to generate heat


the atmosphere doesn't need CO2 and H2O to generate heat19-09-2016 19:40
Tai Hai Chen
★★★★☆
(1085)
Consider the atmosphere of Jupiter. There is no CO2 or H2O in it. Jupiter's temperature at the top of its atmosphere is about 725 C. That's hotter than Venus which is much closer to the Sun.

http://www.space.com/18391-jupiter-temperature.html

Even if Earth does not have CO2 and H2O in its atmosphere but maintains the same pressure as current, there will be no difference in temperature.
Edited on 19-09-2016 19:42
19-09-2016 22:27
jwoodward48
★★★★☆
(1537)
That's because Jupiter has its own heat source, like the Earth's except much stronger. IIRC it's similar to old theories of the Sun producing energy by collapsing. The reason Jupiter hasn't run out is that it isn't losing heat as quickly as the Sun is, which is what disproved the old theory.

Without any greenhouse gases, the Earth would be cooler than it currently is. (Not necessarily exactly the Moon's average temperature; our still-warm core contributes a tiny amount to our greater temperature.)
19-09-2016 22:41
Surface Detail
★★★★☆
(1673)
Actually, the part of Jupiter's atmosphere that Tai Hai Chen is referring to is its thermosphere, the wispy outer layer where the gas is tenuous and the pressure is tiny. Jupiter's thermosphere, like that of the Earth, owes its very high temperature to the absorption of short-wave solar radiation.

Jupiter does indeed radiate significantly more radiation than it receives, but that's not the reason for the high temperature of the outermost part of its atmosphere. Lower levels are much colder.
20-09-2016 00:02
jwoodward48
★★★★☆
(1537)
Looking into this, it seems you are right, thanks.

Is the thermosphere related at all to the corona?
20-09-2016 00:15
jwoodward48
★★★★☆
(1537)
Temperature of the Sun: 15 mill K (core), 2 mill K (convective zone), 5750 K (photosphere), 5000 K (chromosphefe), 2 mill C (corona)
Temperature of Venus: 462 K
Temperature of Jupiter: 998 K (thermosphere), 128 K (clouds), 24273 K (core)

Jupiter's thermosphere is much closer to Venus's temperature than even the coolest part of the Sun. (Also note that the least-dense part of the Sun, the corona, is tied at second for the warmest part, beaten only by the core itself. Pressure can sometimes correlate with temperature, but this is not always the case, and the temperature on Earth is certainly not induced by atmospheric pressure. If that were the case, then how would thermal lows exist - they are the formation of low pressure by heat!)




Join the debate the atmosphere doesn't need CO2 and H2O to generate heat:

Remember me

Related content
ThreadsRepliesLast post
Layers of the Atmosphere as Viewed in Blue2227-01-2024 23:16
Fossil Fuel Substitution for reduced emission of CO2, mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium..39201-12-2023 21:58
Proof That Too Much CO2 Is An Existential Threat32607-11-2023 19:16
Some can take the heat, and214-10-2023 13:26
upper atmosphere temp21207-10-2023 19:02
▲ Top of page
Public Poll
Who is leading the renewable energy race?

US

EU

China

Japan

India

Brazil

Other

Don't know


Thanks for supporting Climate-Debate.com.
Copyright © 2009-2020 Climate-Debate.com | About | Contact