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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
A pseudo 3D extrasolar planet climate model is presented in which the ocean and atmosphere are simulated via stacked 2D meshes with a one dimensional vertical coupling. Both the ocean and atmosphere are simulated using a hydrodynamic solution in spherical polar coordinates, coupled to a simple thermodynamic ice model. Using coupled stacked 2D meshes, water evaporation, condensation, transport and other factors such as ice melting/formation and solar heating will be investigated. Preliminary results will be presented which show an atmospheric flow field for a tidally locked planet. This flow field will be coupled to an evaporation and condensation model with the ice model developed last summer. This simulation aims to investigate how the ice distribution forms and changes on a tidally locked planet with varying parameters such as planet size, distance from host star, rotation period, orbital period, and ice/water content. In the future, this model can be applied to various extrasolar planets to help determine how atmospheric content affects climate.
Host: Chris Neale