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Stabilization of Venus’ climate by a chemical-albedo feedback

Earth, Planets and Space volume 52, pages197–202(2000)Cite this article

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Abstract

It has been suggested that the atmospheric concentration of SO2 observed on Venus coincides with the equilibrium concentration over pyrite-magnetite assemblage (pyrite-magnetite buffer). If the atmospheric SO2 abundance is controlled by the chemical reaction at the planetary surface, we expect coupling between the atmospheric SO2 abundance and the surface temperature. Here, we propose that the pyrite-magnetite buffer combined with cloud albedo feedback controls the surface temperature on Venus. We show that this mechanism keeps the surface temperature in a rather narrow range around the presently observed value against large variations of solar luminosity and total atmospheric mass.

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Author notes

    • G. L. Hashimoto

    Present address: Center for Climate System Research, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan

Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Physics, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Japan

    • G. L. Hashimoto
    •  & Y. Abe

  2. Center for Climate System Research, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8904, Japan

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    Correspondence to G. L. Hashimoto.

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    Hashimoto, G.L., Abe, Y. Stabilization of Venus’ climate by a chemical-albedo feedback. Earth Planet Sp 52, 197–202 (2000) doi:10.1186/BF03351628

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    Keywords

    • Pyrite
    • Greenhouse Effect
    • Cloud Droplet
    • Cloud Model
    • Lunar Planet