Speaker bio. 

Host: Krista Soderlund

Title: Energies of Planetary Atmospheres

Abstract: I will discuss some important energy processes in planetary atmospheres, which include the radiant energy budget and energy conversion. For terrestrial bodies, the radiant energy budget can help us understand global climate changes (e.g., Earth), polar ice caps (e.g., Mars), and the heat flow driving jet plumes (e.g., Enceladus). For the giant planets, the radiant energy budget is a critical way to evaluate the intrinsic heat flux, which is related to planetary formation and evolution. The energy budget at the top of planetary atmospheres also sets a boundary condition to calculate the radiative transfer and the related heating/cooling rates. The heating/cooling rates modify the thermal structures of planetary atmospheres to generate temperature gradient, which further produces potential energy. Some of the potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy to drive the atmospheric circulation (i.e., Lorenz energy cycle). Based on the above energy perspective, I will present some recent progresses in exploring planetary atmospheres (e.g., Jupiter, Saturn, Earth, Mars, Titan, and Enceladus) and preparing a possible future mission.

Speaker bio.

Host: Thorsten Becker