If you've had some calculus, you may remember that some infinite
series converge and some don't. (It's really not a series in this
case but it has some of the same flavor.)
Conceptually if each boost around the cycle is smaller than the one
before it, it is possible to have a finite total boost. The
configuration of a planet such as ours, with a stable ocean, is such
that the runaway doesn't happen. The runaway case probably did happen
exactly as you describe on Venus; the difference is that the solar
constant there is higher so it works out differently, so the ocean
boils, the temperature stays very high, and life never arises on that
world to ask such subtle questions.
mt
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
Global Change ("globalchange") newsgroup. Global Change is a public, moderated
venue for discussion of science, technology, economics and policy dimensions of
global environmental change.
Posts will be admitted to the list if and only if any moderator finds the
submission to be constructive and/or interesting, on topic, and not
gratuitously rude.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/globalchange
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
