Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Ronald W. Heiby on 18/05/2010 11:30:02

Title: Would there still be wind on a non-rotating earth?
Post by: Ronald W. Heiby on 18/05/2010 11:30:02

Ronald W. Heiby  asked the Naked Scientists:
   Listening via podcast (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/podcasts/).

On the subject of Earth's rotation and wind:

I would like to question the assertion that if the Earth were not rotating, there would be no wind.

I guess I would go along with no wind from the cause discussed. However, with no rotation, one side of the planet would be receiving solar radiation all the time (and be quite hot) while the other would receive none (and be quite cold).

On such a planet, would there not be tremendous winds?

Of course, the definition used for not rotating would be similar to that for the Moon, that one face of the Earth is always facing Sol. This means that, on a greater scale, the Earth would actually be rotating, but instead of one rotation every 24 hours it would be one rotation every 365.25 days.

Ron Heiby
Mahomet, Illinois, US

What do you think?

Title: Would there still be wind on a non-rotating earth?
Post by: syhprum on 18/05/2010 13:08:01

There are strong winds on Venus that is only rotating very slowly.

Title: Would there still be wind on a non-rotating earth?
Post by: tommya300 on 18/05/2010 20:59:27

If the earth stopped revolving the magnetic field will disappear. The solar wind will wipe out the atmosphere the only wind that will occur would be from a solar storm.

Let x= (1/∞) = t< (1/0)… the constant variable is |time| is a constant variable!