Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2016/iii/paper-315/3/d/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 315 3 d Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The stellar luminosity is . At separation , the planet intercepts a disk of area . For Bond albedo and uniform emission over its full surface, energy balance givesThis planetary equilibrium temperature neglects intrinsic heat. Dayside-only or nonuniform emission changes the redistribution factor.
For the single-layer greenhouse model, assume a black infrared surface, an atmosphere transparent to incoming stellar radiation, and infrared absorptivity/emissivity . Let be surface temperature and layer temperature. Kirchhoff's law makes the layer's emission in each direction . Its balance isso for . Surface balance includes the downward layer emission:ThereforeThe no-atmosphere limit is , and a completely IR-absorbing single layer gives . The outgoing flux remains . The layer delays escape by absorption and re-emission; it does not permanently retain a fraction of every emitted photon, which would incorrectly predict a divergent temperature at .
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