Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 315 3 d Solution 2026-09-28
The stellar flux at the orbit isLet be the fraction of the planet's total absorbed power transported to the night side, and let be its Bond albedo. Equating transported power to nightside blackbody emission givesHence the nightside equilibrium temperature isPerfect global day-night heat redistribution has and gives ; without redistribution, stellar heating alone gives in this idealization. Efficient atmospheric or oceanic transport prevents volatile cold trapping and broadens the habitable region of a tidally locked planet, whereas a thin atmosphere can leave a frozen night side even when the day side is temperate.