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Baroclinic instability in the interiors of the giant planets: A cooling history of Uranus?We propose a quasigeostrophic, baroclinic model for heat transport within the interior of a stably stratified Jovian planet, based on motion in thin cylindrical annuli. Density decreases from the center outward and is zero at the surface of the planet. In the homogeneous case (no core), we find instability for the poles hotter than the equator, but not for the reverse. If the motion is bounded by an impenetrable core, instability occurs for both cases. Much of the behavior can be explained by analogy to conventional baroclinic instability theory. Motivated by our results, we explore a possible connection between the highly inclined rotation axis of Uranus and its anomalously low surface heat flux. We assume that the planets formed hot. Our conjecture is that heat was efficiently convected outwards by baroclinic instability in Uranus (with the poles hotter than the equator), but not in the other three Jovian planets. The surface temperature was higher for the stably stratified case (Uranus), leading to a higher rate of infrared emission and faster cooling. Therefore, we propose that Uranus lost its internal heat sooner than Neptune because baroclinic motions, permitted by its inclination to the sun, were able to extract its internal heat while the surface was still warm.
Document ID
19950046561
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Holme, Richard
(Harvard University Cambridge, MA, United States)
Ingersoll, Andrew P.
(California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 110
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
95A78160
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF OCE-89-01012
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-1958
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-2494
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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