18 Oct 2007
18 Oct 2007
Venus atmosphere profile from a maximum entropy principle
L. N. Epele1, H. Fanchiotti1, C. A. García Canal1, A. F. Pacheco2, and J. Sañudo3
L. N. Epele et al.
L. N. Epele1, H. Fanchiotti1, C. A. García Canal1, A. F. Pacheco2, and J. Sañudo3
- 1Laboratorio de Física Teórica, Departamento de Física, IFLP, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata C.C. 67, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
- 2Facultad de Ciencias and BIFI, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- 3Departamento de Física, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
- 1Laboratorio de Física Teórica, Departamento de Física, IFLP, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata C.C. 67, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
- 2Facultad de Ciencias and BIFI, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
- 3Departamento de Física, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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The variational method with constraints recently developed by Verkley and Gerkema to describe maximum-entropy atmospheric profiles is generalized to ideal gases but with temperature-dependent specific heats. In so doing, an extended and non standard potential temperature is introduced that is well suited for tackling the problem under consideration. This new formalism is successfully applied to the atmosphere of Venus. Three well defined regions emerge in this atmosphere up to a height of 100 km from the surface: the lowest one up to about 35 km is adiabatic, a transition layer located at the height of the cloud deck and finally a third region which is practically isothermal.
