ENTROPOLIA

CHAPTER THREE: ENTROPOLIA'S WEATHER


 

PLANET OF ENTROPOLIA

Entropolia is warmer than Earth. The average temperature is 28 degrees celsius as compared to Earth with an average temperature of 25 degrees celsius. The planet is covered by 50% land mass and 50% water. There is no ice on the planet due to the 15 degree tilt creating little seasonal variance. The weather on Entropolia stems from the interaction of the ocean and atmosphere. Loomy radiates heat which is moved around by air and water currents. Climate is determined by the average weather.

The climate of the a planet is determined by many variables. First there is Entropolia's meteorological conditions concerning the atmosphere. Entropolia has an atmospheric envelope surrounding it. The atmosphere is divided into layers that have different temperatures. The troposphere is the layer closest to Entropolia that extends from the surface of the planet to 12 miles into the atmosphere. Within this layer, all weather occurs. The layer is turbulent, with storms and atmospheric mixing. This layer is crucial for the water cycle. The air cools as it gets further from Earth. Ascending water vapor is changed into ice, forming a cold trap, a region where water vapor stops going up. If Entropolia had no cold trap, water molecules would escape into space, leaving the planet with no water.

The air within the troposphere is turbulent. Entropolia rotates counterclockwise, which is the same as Earth's rotation direction, therefore the turbulance is moving all weather systems from west to east. These weather systems move slightly faster on Entropolia due to the faster rotational rate (20 hour day) and lower mass (.91). There is a large jet stream in the northern hemisphere and occasionally it changes direction drastically changing the weather just north of the equator. As the air circulates over the oceans, it causes the surface water to drift along with it creating ocean currents. These currents help to move warm water and nutrients to higher and lower latitude regions.

The temperature of Entropolia's surface depends on the energy per surface area received from Loomy each day. Because Entropolia rotates at a 15 degree tilt rather than Earth's 23.5 axil tilt, the planet receives more direct energy creating warmer climates. There are tropical jungle conditions between shoreline and mountain ranges, and there are desert conditions inland from the mountain range.

Entropolia's average temperature is 28 degrees celsius. The temperature in zone 1 near the equator is about 31 degrees celsius. it gets cooler moving north or south from the equator. The temperature in zone 2 averages 23 degrees celsius and, at the poles, the temperature averages about 14 degrees celsius.

The Hydrologic Cycle

Entropolia's water is constantly circulating, powered by the heat of Loomy and the force of gravity. As Loomy's energy evaporates ocean water, a cycle begins. Water molecules move from Entropolia's surface to become part of the atmosphere. The resulting moist air may be transported over great distances by winds. Some of the water molecules condense to form clouds and then precipitate. Precipitation falling on the ocean completes the cycle from ocean back to ocean. Completion of a cycle is somewhat more complex when precipitation falls on land, for water drains into streams and then journeys back into the ocean or lakes.

30% of Entropolia is covered by clouds. In the areas of heaviest rainfall it generally rains 50 inches per year. These are the green regions on the map. These areas are tropical in nature with a lot of growth and vegetation. The rest of the land receives little rainfall with annual rains between 15-25 inches per year. In the desert regions, streams are ephemeral, caused by thunderstorms lasting a short period of time.

Photo credits: continents = Map Generator, water cycle & clouds = Grolier's


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