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Climates of Warm Earth-like Planets. II. Rotational "Goldilocks" Zones for Fractional Habitability and Silicate WeatheringPlanetary rotation rate has a significant effect on atmospheric circulation, where the strength of the Coriolis effect in part determines the efficiency of latitudinal heat transport, altering cloud distributions, surface temperatures, and precipitation patterns. In this study, we use the ROCKE-3D dynamic ocean general circulation model to study the effects of slow rotations and increased insolations on the "fractional habitability" and silicate weathering rate of an Earth-like world. Defining the fractional habitability f (h) to be the percentage of a planet's surface that falls in the 0 ≤ T ≤ 100 °C temperature regime, we find a moderate increase in f (h) with a 10% and 20% increase in insolation and a possible maximum in f (h) at sidereal day lengths between 8 and 32 times that of the modern Earth. By tracking precipitation and runoff, we further determine that there is a rotational regime centered on a 4 day period in which the silicate weathering rate is maximized and is particularly strongly peaked at higher overall insolations. Because of weathering's integral role in the long-term carbonate–silicate cycle, we suggest that climate stability may be strongly affected by the anticipated rotational evolution of temperate terrestrial-type worlds and should be considered a major factor in their study. In light of our results, we argue that planetary rotation period is an important factor to consider when determining the habitability of terrestrial worlds.
Document ID
20205001011
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Accepted Manuscript (Version with final changes)
Authors
Tiffany Jansen
(Columbia University New York, New York, United States)
Caleb Scharf
(Columbia University New York, New York, United States)
Michael Way ORCID
(Goddard Institute for Space Studies New York, New York, United States)
Anthony Del Genio ORCID
(Goddard Institute for Space Studies New York, New York, United States)
Date Acquired
April 16, 2020
Publication Date
April 17, 2019
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: IOP Publishing and American Astronomical Society
Volume: 875
Issue: 2
Issue Publication Date: April 20, 2019
ISSN: 0004-637X
e-ISSN: 1538-4357
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 811073.02.36.01.56
WBS: 811073.02.52.01.08.16
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX15AK95G
WBS: 811073.02.10.03.10
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
External Peer Committee
Keywords
atmospheric effects
methods: numerical
planets and satellites: atmospheres
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