Moist convection of Neptune

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL016i008p00929· OSTI ID:5946865

Stoker, C R; Toon, O B ^[1]

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1. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (USA)

The authors present a study of methane moist convection on Neptune. They examine the stability conditions to initiate moist convection of methane clouds. Temperature lapse rates that are unstable to moist convection are subadiabatic by a factor of two or more while adiabatic and superadiabatic lapse rates are stable. In the observed Neptune temperature structure, vertical velocities {>=} 40 m s{sup {minus}1} are required to lift moist air above the stable region and initiate moist convection. Alternatively, moist convection could be initiated by air that is slightly drier than its surroundings. Moist convective clouds achieve altitudes up to 100 mb, thereby exceeding the temperature minimum and depositing methane in the Neptune stratosphere. They predict that at least 2000 such clouds penetrate the Neptune stratosphere per hour.

• OSTI ID: 5946865
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 16:8; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ADIABATIC PROCESSES
ALKANES
ATMOSPHERES
CALCULATION METHODS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CLOUDS
CONVECTION
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDROCARBONS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METHANE
MIXING
NEPTUNE PLANET
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
STABILITY
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
VAPOR CONDENSATION