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Early solar mass loss: A potential solution to the weak sun paradox
Author(s) -
Graedel T. E.,
Sackmann I.J.,
Boothroyd A. I.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/91gl02314
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , solar system , luminosity , range (aeronautics) , astrobiology , astronomy , atmospheric sciences , materials science , galaxy , composite material
The weak sun paradox, in which early planetary temperatures are known to have remained above the freezing point of water despite presumably lower early solar luminosity, has customarily been resolved by imposing high early CO 2 atmospheric abundances. Speculative new solar models incorporating early solar mass loss provide a possible solution to the case of ‘missing’ solar lithium; at the same time, they predict higher early (4.5–3.8 Gyr BP) solar luminosities. These higher luminosities have the potential to produce planetary temperatures within the liquid water range indicated by observations without requiring extremely high CO 2 concentrations.