Delayed cooling of an inflated giant planet
= Delayed cooling of an inflated giant planet
Delayed cooling preserves a young giant planet's large radius by reducing the escape of internal <energy>. Enhanced atmospheric <opacity>, an irradiation-maintained outer radiative blanket, and composition gradients that inhibit <convection> can slow <Kelvin-Helmholtz contraction>. These mechanisms retain existing heat rather than supplying a new deep heat source.