Venus temperature
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Venus Temperature: A Comprehensive Overview
Surface Temperature on Venus
Greenhouse Effect and Surface Temperature
The surface temperature of Venus is primarily driven by a potent greenhouse effect. Calculations using a nongray radiation balance model indicate that the mean surface temperature can range from 500K to 650K, depending on atmospheric pressure and water vapor content. For a pure carbon dioxide atmosphere, temperatures of 500K to 550K are possible at a surface pressure of 20 atm, while 600K to 650K can be maintained at 65 atm1.
Historical Surface Conditions
Present-day Venus is extremely inhospitable, with surface temperatures approaching 750K and an atmosphere 90 times thicker than Earth's. However, billions of years ago, Venus might have had moderate temperatures and potentially habitable conditions. Climate simulations suggest that with a slower rotation period, Venus could have maintained habitable conditions until at least 715 million years ago4 7.
Atmospheric Temperature Variations
Upper Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere
Temperatures in Venus's upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere, around 110 km altitude, have been measured using high-resolution infrared spectroscopy. These temperatures range from approximately 200K to 240K, with significant variability attributed to atmospheric dynamics, diurnal changes, and solar activity2 5. These findings are consistent with more recent measurements from the SOIR instrument on Venus Express, although they differ from the Venus International Reference Atmosphere (VIRA) model predictions2.
Night Side Mesosphere
The temperature of Venus's night side mesosphere, around 95 km altitude, has been determined using hydroxyl airglow emissions. These temperatures vary from 145.5K to 198.1K, with an average of 176.3K. The temperature shows a minimum at equatorial latitudes and increases towards mid-latitudes, peaking around 35°N9.
Exospheric Temperature
The exospheric temperature of Venus, measured at an altitude of 250 km, shows a significant day-to-night variation. On the dayside, temperatures can reach 500K, while on the nightside, they drop to 200K. This variation is due to solar heating and results in the transport of hydrogen from the dayside to the nightside, allowing for a substantial presence of atomic oxygen in the upper atmosphere10.
Polar Temperature
Microwave interferometry measurements at a wavelength of 10.6 cm suggest that there is little evidence for significant polar temperature variation on Venus. This finding challenges earlier suggestions of substantial polar cooling6.
Conclusion
Venus exhibits extreme temperatures both on its surface and throughout its atmosphere. The surface temperature is driven by a strong greenhouse effect, while the atmospheric temperatures show significant variability due to solar heating, atmospheric dynamics, and diurnal changes. Historical data and climate simulations suggest that Venus might have once had conditions suitable for habitability, highlighting the complex and dynamic nature of its climate system.
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Thermospheric/mesospheric temperatures on Venus: Results from ground-based high-resolution spectroscopy of CO 2 in 1990/1991 and comparison to results from 2009 and between other techniques
Venus' upper mesosphere/lower thermosphere temperatures range from 200 to 240 K, with high temperature variability due to atmospheric dynamics, diurnal variability, solar activity, and seasons.
Was Venus the first habitable world of our solar system?
Venus may have been the first habitable world in our solar system, with moderate temperatures and a slower rotation period, and could remain habitable until at least 0.715 Gya.
Highly CitedDirect observations of Venus upper mesospheric temperatures from ground based spectroscopy of CO2
Venus' upper mesosphere shows high temperatures, reaching 250 K at the sub solar point, contradicting predictions from the Venus International Reference Atmosphere model.
Was Venus the First Habitable World of our Solar System?
Venus could have been the first habitable world in our solar system, with moderate temperatures and a slower rotation period, until at least 715 million years ago.
Highly Cited