Hybrid Fluid/Kinetic Approach to Planetary Atmospheres: an Example of an Intermediate-Mass Body

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (20) References (8) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Hybrid Fluid/Kinetic Approach to Planetary Atmospheres: an Example of an Intermediate-Mass Body Marconi, M. L. ; Dagum, L. ; Smyth, William H. Abstract The atmosphere of an intermediate mass planetary body is calculated in a self-consistent fashion by the use of a hybrid fluid/kinetic theory approach on massively parallel computers. Assuming a spherical atmosphere and a heating layer, this technique is used to obtain the atmosphere from the collisional hydrodynamic regime, through the quasi-collisional nonlinear kinetic regime, and into the self-collisionless linear kinetic regime. The results display significant nonequilibrium phenomena in both macroscopic variables such as temperature and microscopic variables such as the velocity distribution. Comparison with a standard hydrodynamic model demonstrates substantial differences. This method which is valid for all Knudsen numbers can be easily generalized to more complex problems and should be a powerful tool to study the structure, dynamics, and evolution of planetary atmospheres. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1996 DOI: 10.1086/177789 Bibcode: 1996ApJ...469..393M Keywords: HYDRODYNAMICS; PLANETS AND SATELLITES: GENERAL full text sources ADS |