AST101H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Runaway Greenhouse Effect, Solar Wind, Carbonate Rock

• School: UTSG
• Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Course: AST101H1
• Professor: Michael Reid

Document Summary

Planetary size is the most important influence on gain and losses of gasses; determines the level of volcanism and outgassing. Mars is 40% larger in radius than mercury. The thin atmosphere and low atmospheric pressure explains why liquid water is unstable on the surface (evaporation and freezing) Total amount of gas very small, weak greenhouse effect, temperature below freezing, lack of oxygen means there is no ozone layer, and suns damaging ultraviolet radiation passes through to the surface. Seasonal changes result in the major feature of mars weather which is wind blowing from the summer pole to the winter pole: this results in polar temperatures at the winter pole to drop (where. Co2 condenses to dry ice at polar cap) while frozen co2 at the summer pole sublimates into c02. The atmospheric pressure increases the summer pole and decreases the winter pole; driving strong pole to pole winds.