New research has found that oceans play a vital role in moderating climate on Earth-like planets.
Until now, computer simulations of habitable climates on Earth-like planets have focused on their atmospheres. But the presence of oceans is vital for optimal climate stability and habitability.
The research team from UEA's schools of Mathematics and Environmental Sciences created a computer simulated pattern of ocean circulation on a hypothetical ocean-covered Earth-like planet. They looked at how different planetary rotation rates would impact heat transport with the presence of oceans taken into account.
Prof David Stevens from the school says "The number of planets being discovered outside our solar system is rapidly increasing. This research will help answer whether or not these planets could sustain alien life. We know that many planets are completely uninhabitable because they are either too close or too far from their sun. A planet's habitable zone is based on its distance from the sun and temperatures at which it is possible for the planet to have liquid water. But until now, most habitability models have neglected the impact of oceans on climate."
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The Center for American Progress reports:
Very few people [...] think of the oceans as a vast source of renewable heat that can be used to keep homes warm and showers steaming. But that's exactly what a growing number of seaside towns in northern Europe are doing, despite having some particularly chilly ocean water.
Harnessing just a tiny fraction of the heat stored in the world's oceans has theoretically been possible for many years, but has only recently been put into practice. One of the first places in the world to draw on the ocean for residents' heating needs is Duindorp, a small harbor town near the Hague in the Netherlands.
(Score: 2) by Alfred on Thursday July 24 2014, @09:36PM
Every time I hear of one of these computer models or simulations I get annoyed. I can usually think of another 20 variables that are just as relevant as the ones they chose but are ignored. If your model ignores relevant variables then your model is broken.
Our weather forecasters accuracy falls off around the 4 or 5 day mark so I don't believe for a minute that anyone can model the climate of a planet they don't even know the gravity of.
"It's just a model" (kinda like Camelot :-)
I feel a song coming on.
(Score: 2) by e_armadillo on Thursday July 24 2014, @10:22PM
They are assuming that, if there is life out there in the stars, it is similar to life on this planet. As far as we know, there are races of aliens that live quite comfortably in conditions that would kill us -- AND -- the conditions we find comfortable/survivable would kill them . . .
"How are we gonna get out of here?" ... "We'll dig our way out!" ... "No, no, dig UP stupid!"
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 24 2014, @10:45PM
Eh, you've been reading too much science fiction. Those stories about life forms that coexist peacefully despite their biological differences are all just allegories for human race relations.
(Score: 2) by e_armadillo on Thursday July 24 2014, @10:56PM
I never said we could coexist.
"How are we gonna get out of here?" ... "We'll dig our way out!" ... "No, no, dig UP stupid!"
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 24 2014, @11:03PM
Sure we can coexist! We'll just need separate-but-equal bathrooms for the methane-breathers, and the chlorine-breathers, and oh yeah don't forget the oxygen-breathers, ...
(Score: 2) by Tork on Friday July 25 2014, @06:08AM
Supposing we do find life out there, there is just as much chance that they'll look almost exactly like us as there is a chance that they'll be wildly different. They might be difference because ... well frankly even Star Wars has covered that. They might look like us because it might turn out that our two-arms, two-legs, two-eyes, smooth-forehead structure has a very significant statistical advantage in a species forming into a technology-developing society. It wouldn't even be that shocking, we're the only species on Earth that has, by intention, broken orbit from the planet. How do we know quadrupeds don't typically stall out in evolving their intelligence because their lack of arms means they never get around to building tools?
We won't know what to expect until we find something, and that's assuming there is even anything to find. Frankly our most compelling reason to think there is roughly the same rationale marketing departments like to use: "There's lotsa stuff out there, surely what we want is there and in large quantities!"
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by MrGuy on Thursday July 24 2014, @10:45PM
...most of the theories of how the earth got its oceans would apply equally well to an extraterrestrial earthlike planet - as long as the planet has sufficient gravity to hold on to atmospheric water, and is in the correct range of temperature to support liquid water, I would have thought we'd EXPECT an earthlike planet to have large bodies of water.
I guess I don't see why the authors of this study think it's significant to suggest planets need to have water AND oceans.
(Score: 2) by forsythe on Thursday July 24 2014, @11:11PM
I remember, in Asimov's ``Robots and Empire'', the climax included some scientific-sounding text claiming that the tidal cycle of Earth was integral to the development of life. I don't know whether it was serious science when written, much less now, but perhaps these authors and Asimov thought similarly.