Quote:
Originally Posted by yusufcam
the answer to this might be obvious, but I couldn't google it out...
if the the temperature difference between the earths equator and poles is explained as the difference in the axis of the earth (seasons) and its curvature creating varying distances to the sun. How would you end up with temperatures of up to 86 F recorded at Mars equator. Which has distances from the sun which dwarf the difference between Earths equator and its poles.
Additionally heat is related to the density of atmosphere (more molecules to excite, thus space is cold) and Mars having little of it. How would it be achieving those types of temperatures.
Aroused my curiosity.
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Hi Colin,
I don't know that you'll find a direct answer on that specific a question on google, but you never know. Keep hunting perhaps. In the meantime there are quite a few pieces in the puzzle to an answer to consider:
1.
The Orbital Variables such as Orbit eccentricity, Obliquity (tilt), precession, orbit radius, etc... differences between Earth and Mars. Mars, for instance has a high eccentric (elliptical) orbit compared with the almost circular orbit of the Earth. Mars also has a slightly higher angle of tilt than the Earth. Both of these and other variables would factor in to differences in radiative heat transfer between the two planets and affect temperature and/or rate of change of temperature
2.
The Planetary Variables such as atmospheric density, atmospheric chemical composition, reflectivity to Solar radiation (albedo), etc... differences between Earth and Mars. There is, for instance, a significant difference in the chemical composition of the Martian atmosphere (95% CO2, 3% N etc...) versus that of the Earth (78%N, 21%O2, 0.4% H2O as water vapour, 0.04%CO2, etc...). These differences effect radiative heat transfer to the planet and hence temperature. It is interesting to note that the Earth with an albedo of ~0.3 is almost twice as reflective to solar radiation as Mars which has an albedo around 0.16. That is a huge difference.
I'm sure there are other factors that would compound in to a fuller answer to allow you to compute the temperatures in a model, but at least you have some of the competing variables to consider.
Best
JA