Temperature variations

[NathanKell]

Right now only Earth has temperature variation by latitude, time of day, and season (though there really isn't much seasonal yet, the axial curve isn't defined yet). Other bodies don't have even that. Do we know anything about diurnal/latitude/seasonal variation on other bodies?

[stratochief66]

Good question! i believe we have decent data (reasonable estimates & basic measurements) for Mars. We have decent estimates for Mercury I believe (frozen hellscape / flaming hellscape)

What is the form of the function(s) that are used for Kerbin/Earth?

[NathanKell]

the curves are:

1. latitude: key = latitude, value = temperature offset from standard
2. diurnal: key = 0 to 1 for coldest (~3am) to warmest (~3pm), value = offset in K
3. seasonal: key = 0 to 1 (for north pole pointed directly away vs directly towards the sun), value = offset in K. Note that any keys above 0.75 or below 0.25 won't mean anything since the Earth doesn't tilt more than 30 degrees--the key is the dot between north pole up, and to-the-sun).
4. altitude: key = altitude, value = multiplier to the above sum to yield a final offset (so sun makes next to no difference in the stratosphere).

[stratochief66]

Can the seasonal curve be used to include variation due to orbital eccentricity (ie. Mars has an eccentricity of 0.1) as well as axial tilt (25.2 degrees)?

Or would it be preferable/possible to add a additional curve for that?

[NathanKell]

Alas no. That's a great point though.