Convection onset in a logarithmic-pressure grey atmosphere

ID: convection-onset-in-a-logarithmic-pressure-grey-atmosphere

For a grey atmosphere with and , logarithmic differentiation gives
A monatomic perfect gas of uniform composition has adiabatic temperature gradient . The Schwarzschild criterion therefore predicts the first marginally unstable layer at , and convection for larger optical depth. Beyond that onset, the assumed purely radiative profile is no longer a self-consistent transport solution.

New to topics? Read the docs here!