Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets

Edited by Stephen J. Mackwell, Amy A. Simon-Miller, Jerald W. Harder, and Mark A. Bullock

SERIES: The University of Arizona Space Science Series

The University of Arizona Press

The early development of life, a fundamental question for humankind, requires the presence of a suitable planetary climate. Our understanding of how habitable planets come to be begins with the worlds closest to home. Venus, Earth, and Mars differ only modestly in their mass and distance from the Sun, yet their current climates could scarcely be more divergent. Only Earth has abundant liquid water, Venus has a runaway greenhouse, and evidence for life-supporting conditions on Mars points to a bygone era. In addition, an Earth-like hydrologic cycle has been revealed in a surprising place: Saturn’s cloud-covered satellite Titan has liquid hydrocarbon rain, lakes, and river networks.

Deducing the initial conditions for these diverse worlds and unraveling how and why they diverged to their current climates is a challenge at the forefront of planetary science. Through the contributions of more than sixty leading experts in the field, Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets sets forth the foundations for this emerging new science and brings the reader to the forefront of our current understanding of atmospheric formation and climate evolution. Particular emphasis is given to surface-atmosphere interactions, evolving stellar flux, mantle processes, photochemistry, and interactions with the interplanetary environment, all of which influence the climatology of terrestrial planets. From this cornerstone, both current professionals and most especially new students are brought to the threshold, enabling the next generation of new advances in our own solar system and beyond.

Contents

Part I: Foundations
Jim Hansen
Mark Bullock
Scot Rafkin
Caitlin Griffith
Shawn Domagal-Goldman and Antigona Segura
Kevin Zahnle

Part II: The Greenhouse Effect and Atmospheric Dynamics
Curt Covey
G. Schubert and J. Mitchell
Tim Dowling
Francois Forget and Sebastien Lebonnois
Vladimir Krasnopolsky
Adam Showman

Part III: Clouds, Hazes, and Precipitation
Larry Esposito
A. Määttänen, K. Pérot, F. Montmessin, and A. Hauchecorne
Nilton Renno
Zibi Turtle
Mark Marley

Part IV: Surface-Atmosphere Interactions
Colin Goldblatt
Teresa Segura et al.
John Grotzinger
Adrian Lenardic
D. A. Brain, F. Leblanc, J. G. Luhmann, T. E. Moore, and F. Tian

Part V: Solar Influences on Planetary Climate
Aaron Zent
Jerry Harder
F. Tian, E. Chassefiere, F. Leblanc, and D. Brain
David Des Marais

Editor
Contents

Steve Mackwell currently serves as director of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Earth Science at Rice University. Amy A. Simon-Miller is the associate director for Strategic Science at NASA Goddard in Maryland. Jerald Harder is an instrument scientist for the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) on the NASA-sponsored Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE). Mark Bullock is the Planetary Physics Section manager at the Southwest Research Institute, located in Boulder, Colorado.

Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets

Steven J. Mackwell; Amy A. Simon-Miller; Jerald W. Harder; Mark A. Bullock

Table of Contents
Foreword
J. E. Hansen

Preface
M. A. Bullock, A. A. Simon-Miller, J. W. Harder, S. J. Mackwell

Part I: Foundations

1. Climate Physics 101: The Earth
A. D. Del Genio

2. The Atmosphere and Climate of Venus
M. A. Bullock and D. H. Grinspoon

3. Mars: Atmosphere and Climate Overview
S. C. R. Rafkin, J. L. Hollingsworth, M. A. Mischna, C. E. Newman, M. I. Richardson

4. Titan's Evolving Climate
C. A. Griffith, J. L. Mitchell, P. Lavvas, G. Tobie

5. Exoplanet Climates S. D. Domagal-Goldman
A. Segura

6. The Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets: Clues to the Origins and Early Evolution of Venus, Earth, and Mars
K. H. Baines, S. K. Atreya, M. A. Bullock, D. H. Grinspoon, P. Mahaffy, C. T. Russell, G. Schubert, K. Zahnle

Part II: Greenhouse Effect and Atmospheric Dynamics

7. The Greenhouse Effect and Climate Feedbacks
C. Covey, R. M. Haberle, C. P. McKay, D. V. Titov

8. Planetary Atmospheres as Heat Engines
G. Schubert and J. L. Mitchell

9. Earth General Circulation Models
T. E. Dowling

10. Global Climate Models of the Terrestrial Planets
F. Forget and S. Lebonnois

11. Chemistry of the Atmospheres of Mars, Venus, and Titan
V. A. Krasnopolsky and F. Lefevre

12. Atmospheric Circulation of Terrestrial Exoplanets
A. P. Showman, R. D. Wordsworth, T. M. Merlis, Y. Kaspi

Part III: Clouds and Hazes

13. Clouds and Aerosols on the Terrestrial Planets
L. W. Esposito, A. Colaprete, J. English, R. M. Haberle, M. A. Kahre

14. The Lifting of Aerosols and Their Effects on Atmospheric Dynamics
N. O. Renno, D. Halleaux, H. Elliott, J. F. Kok

15. Clouds and Hazes in Exoplanet Atmospheres
M. S. Marley, A. S. Ackerman, J. N. Cuzzi, D. Kitzmann

16. Mesospheric Clouds on Mars and on Earth
A. Määttänen, K. Pérot, F. Montmessin, A. Hauchecorne

Part IV: Surface and Interior

17. The Effects of Impacts on the Climates of Terrestrial Planets
T. L. Segura, K. Zahnle, O. B. Toon, C. P. McKay

18. Sedimentary Processes on Earth, Mars, Titan and Venus
J. P. Grotzinger, A. G. Hayes, M. P. Lamb, S. M. McLennan

19. Mantle Convection and Outgassing on Terrestrial Planets
C. O'Neill, A. Lenardic, T. Höink, N. Coltice

20. Planetary Magnetic Fields and Climate Evolution
D. A. Brain, F. Leblanc, J. G. Luhmann, T. E. Moore, F. Tian

Part V: Solar Influences

21. Orbital Drivers of Climate Change on Earth and Mars
A. P. Zent

22. Solar Irradiance Variability and Its Impacts on the Earth Climate System
J. W. Harder, T. N. Woods

23. Atmosphere Escape and Climate Evolution of Terrestrial Planets
F. Tian, E. Chassefière, F. Leblanc, D. A. Brain

24. Planetary Climate and the Search for Life
D. J. Des Marais