Re: extrasolar planet heats its sun!
Posted by Uncle Al on Jan 09, 2004 at 10:38
(68.5.243.16)Re: extrasolar planet heats its sun! (anyman)
Mercury has an 88 day orbit. This baby does it in 3.09 days. It's in *real* close. The visible surface of star is where its plasma temperature and density drop low enough to be transparent. The star itself extends considerably further out.
We have problems here - energy is conserved. If the planet is that close to its star, why isn't its orbit inspiralling from energy loss through electromagnetic coupling and frank air resistance (solar wind)?
With a 97 miles/second orbit, there should be one heck of an orbital energy-draining hypersonic bow shock. One is also curious about the star's Roche radius that would tidally pull apart the planet.
--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/qz.pdf
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/eotvos.htm
(Do something naughty to physics)