Ellipsoidal planets

[email removed] (james vassilakos) writes:

> I have another question about atmosphere type E. It assumes that
> the world is ellipsoidal (egg-shaped?), and that therefore the
> atmosphere pressures range from very high to very low depending
> on where you are on the planet's surface (since the atmosphere is
> still spherical) (see page 21 of ref's manual).

> Two questions: Is this realistic? Would is also apply to the
> hydrosphere? (if so, we could have a world mostly submerged but
> with two ends jutting like mammoth mountains out of the water,
> seems strange to me).

Since your center of gravity is going to be roughly at the center
of all three axes of the ellipsoid, yes, you will probably have
lower pressure at the ends of the ellipse than at the equator (I'm
assuming that the planet is elongated from pole to pole; anyone
who knows more about planetary evolution want to confirm or deny
that that's the most likely situation?). Just how significant
those differences would be would depend on the size of the planet.
And, yes, it would affect the hydrosphere, too. There probably
wouldn't be a whole lot in the way of equatorial landmasses.

- -- Tim Soholt ([email removed])