Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science » in reply to Night side and day side

re: Night side and day side
gbaikie — (archived)

"Mid-latitude band 50°-70°S UV bright

* Temperature decreases with depth and reaches minimum at the cloud tops
* "Cold collar" at cloud tops, ~30 K cooler than other latitudes
...
The study showed that at the lower latitudes (<50°S) the temperature decreases with increasing altitude (referred to as a negative lapse rate). This corresponds to regions where UV absorbers are present. The study team concludes that absorbers are drawn upward from deep in the cloud to the cloud tops by strong convection that is driven by the Sun heating the atmosphere.

In the region between 50°S and 70°S the temperature gradient is inverted and the temperature reaches its minimum at the cloud tops, ~30K cooler than at other latitudes. This annulus of cold air was earlier nicknamed "cold collar". A positive lapse rate here helps to prevent the convective up-welling of UV absorbers from below. This results in the UV bright clouds seen at this latitude range."
http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=43792

Log in or register to post.

The whole thread (39 posts)