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/sci/ - Science & Math

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8410462 No.8410462 [Reply] [Original]

Is it possible for a planetary object smaller than Titan to have a thick atmosphere? Is there an overall limit to how large a planet has to be before it can retain a significant atmosphere equal to or greater than earth's?

>> No.8410530

thicccc

>> No.8410553

>>8410462
The size of the planet doesn't matter, the mass does.

The main reason the earths atmosphere is the way it is, is because the escape velocity of molecules is less than the gravitational field. There also needs to be a strong magnetic field to avoid it from being stripped away from solar wind.

>> No.8410563

>>8410553
Solar wind stripping is incredibly slow, it doesnt actually matter that much

>> No.8410705

>>8410563
I think it does.

t.martian

>> No.8410886

Yes it is possible for a planetary object smaller than Titan to have a thick atmosphere, such a planet would probably need to be colder than Titan so that the molecules move so slowly they don't escape. If you moved Titan into Earth's orbit the atmosphere would get blasted away pretty fast by the solar wind and since it's going to be hotter the atmosphere would escape rapidly.

>> No.8410892

I'm posting the link to a simulator the calculates the gases a planet or moon can hold onto at said temperature.

http://astro.unl.edu/naap/atmosphere/animations/gasRetentionSimulator.html

>> No.8410912
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8410912

>>8410892
>http://astro.unl.edu/naap/atmosphere/animations/gasRetentionSimulator.html
That's actually very interesting. Thanks Anon.

Have a Titan.

>> No.8410920

>>8410563
Ask Venus, too.

Venus used to have hydrogen.

>> No.8410932

>>8410920

>used to have hydrogen

Now it has its fat ugly bbw sister-in-law compound, hydrosulfuric acid!

>> No.8410935
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8410935

>>8410920
Yes but doesn't Venus' atmosphere act as a pseudo-magnetosphere?

I know the gif is of Mars, but it also applies to Venus.

>> No.8410940
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8410940

>>8410935
Huh. Now that it's mentioned, why doesn't Venus have an actual magnetosphere? It's roughly the same size as Earth and has roughly the same density. Is it's core completely solidified? That wouldn't make any sense.

>> No.8410946

>>8410940
Its core is inactive, which is why it lacks a magnetosphere. Ditto for Mars. Which kinda makes Earth a special butterfly.

>> No.8410950

I think a planet or moon must rotate fast enough to produce a magnetic field, Also oceans may be necessary for plate tectonics on Earth-sized planets.

>> No.8410956

There is also a theory Mars lost its magnetic field because of large asteroids hitting its surface disrupting the convection between the core and the mantle.

>> No.8410957

>>8410950

Fluid dynamics underneath the planets mantle dictate plate tectonics.

>> No.8410958
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8410958

Here is a habitable Mars sized planet I found on Space Engine.

>> No.8410960

>>8410956

The planet may have been no more heavily bombarded than Earth was during the early years of Mars' development. But it's not the reason. Me thinks the planets internal mass wasn't sufficient to sustain internal convection (probably due to a lack of radioactive isotopes such as uranium)

>> No.8410970
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8410970

>>8410946
Earth is such a fucking Mary Sue OC planet.
>Strong Magnetosphere
>Perfect temperature
>Moderate axial tilt of 23' to allow seasonal change
>Perfect temperature range for life
>Vast oceans and continents brimming with life
>Relatively large moon to it's size that regulates tides and enhances plate tectonics.

Jesus, what DOESN'T it have?

>> No.8410974
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8410974

>>8410950
>oceans may be necessary
How? Altogether the oceans comprise less than 1% of earth's composition and mass. Does it act like a lubricant at plate boundaries?

>> No.8410981

>>8410462
The density of gas determines if the gravity can hold it, dense gases like methane can held on Titan or the moon where as light gases need bigger mases like Earth and Venus to hold on to them.

>> No.8410990

>>8410970
>Jesus, what DOESN'T it have?

Intelligent life.

>> No.8410991
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8410991

>>8410553
>The size of the planet doesn't matter, the mass does.

>> No.8410996

Seems really shitty that theres no moons with atmospheres orbitting jupiter
Makes it really hard to land on any of those moons.

Titan is too far out to travel to...

>> No.8412146

>>8410996
Well, Ganymede has a trace oxygen/ozone atmosphere, but I know what you mean.

>> No.8412160

>>8410970
yeah, the author really let himself go on that one

>> No.8412164

>>8410991
I can't breathe

>> No.8412165

>>8410991

You're a fucking dolt, you know that?

>> No.8412173

>>8410996

And Jupitar has a lethal radiation belt that will kill in a human in a few hours extending beyond Ganymede. But there are more factors to planetary habitability than just atmosphere. Titan has an atmosphere but its really no better than Mars because none of it is conductive to life. Europa may have an ocean, if it does an we can learn to build structures under water, it may prove to be the most habitable planet.

>> No.8412243

>>8412173
Atmospheres do help in a lot of ways, and the free delta-v from aerobraking is key for fast efficient travel.

I wonder if we could use magnets to mimic that in jupiters magnetosphere, or some form of beamed propulsion.