The virial theorem and planetary atmospheres

TL;DR

This paper derives a specialized virial theorem for thin, diatomic planetary atmospheres in thermal equilibrium, linking theoretical principles with real atmospheric measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a version of the virial theorem tailored for planetary atmospheres, bridging theoretical derivation with empirical data.

Findings

Derived virial theorem applicable to planetary atmospheres

Compared theoretical predictions with actual atmospheric measurements

Provided insights into atmospheric thermodynamic properties

Abstract

We derive a version of the virial theorem that is applicable to diatomic planetary atmospheres that are in approximate thermal equilibrium at moderate temperatures and pressures and are sufficiently thin such that the gravitational acceleration can be considered constant. We contrast a pedagogically inclined theoretical presentation with the actual measured properties of air.