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To: dr_lew

So... it might actually be possible on a world that is 2.7 times bigger than Earth. Of course the vast majority of that water is probably going to be in steam clouds as thick as the clouds on Venus. lol.


12 posted on 02/25/2012 4:54:02 PM PST by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Pursue Happiness)
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To: GeronL

In the isothermal atmosphere model, the pressure doubling depth is kT/mg, and this is not so much different on the hypothetical steam planet than on earth.

g is almost the same, using the figures of 2.7 earth radii and 7 earth masses from the article. m is the mass of an atmospheric molecule, so this is less by about 18/28. kT is bigger by about 400/300, so that is just about double the exponential scale for earth’s atmosphere.

( All calculations subject to revision! )

I get about 18km for the steam planet, meaning that about 66 km above the vapor/liquid surface in the 446F steam atmosphere we should reach a pressure of 1 atmosphere, then 66km above that 1/40 atmosphere, and so on.

So, in terms of brute physics, it could be called “earthlike”.


22 posted on 02/25/2012 5:55:22 PM PST by dr_lew
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