Definition
Heat is transferred in planetary and satellite interiors and atmospheres from regions of high temperature to regions of lower temperature. The heat transfer mechanisms are heat conduction, convection, and radiation.
Overview
In planetary interiors, heat is generated by the decay of the radiogenic isotopes235U, 238U, 237Th, and 40K. In addition, latent heat may be released and consumed through phase transitions. The dissipation of kinetic energy of planetesimals colliding with the protoplanets during planetary accretion has heated the planetary interiors, in some cases up to the melting temperatures of their outer layers. The formation of the cores in terrestrial planets through differentiation has further heated the deep interiors. Since planetary surfaces are colder – their temperature being determined by the rate of solar radiation and the atmosphere greenhouse effect– heat is transferred to these surfaces from the deep interior. The resulting flow of heat may be...
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References and Further Reading
Pierrehumbert RT (2010) Principles of planetary climate. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Ricard Y (2007) Physics of mantle convection. In: Bercovici D, Schubert G (eds) Treatise on geophysics, vol 7. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 31–88
Schubert G, Turcotte D, Olson P (2001) Mantle convection in the Earth and planets. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p 940
Seager S (2010) Exoplanet atmospheres: physical processes. Princeton University Press, Princeton
Stein CA, Hansen U (2008) Plate motions and the viscosity structure of the mantle – insights from numerical modeling. Earth Planet Sci Lett 272:29–40
Thomas GE, Stamnes K (1999) Radiative transfer in the atmosphere and ocean. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
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Spohn, T., Kaltenegger, L. (2015). Heat Transfer, Planetary. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_710
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44185-5_710
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