If the Sun stopped shining, how would the temperature of the Earth change?

It would steadily get colder everywhere. Within a few weeks the oceans would have frozen solid, and after say a month or so, the atmosphere itself would have solidified on the surface. The interior of the earth would continue to provide some surface heat, but probably just enough to keep the atmosphere in a partially vapor phase. Volcanos would continue to erupt and liquify/gassify portions of the atmosphere/ocean areas in contact with the lava flows. Geothermal vents would continue to make geysers like the ones on Io.


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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