My organism has power to generate blizzards. It lives in a planet full of methane and insulating gases.
My question is as to how it could generate a blizzard biologically. What compounds would be mixed to allow it to create this effect?
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Sign up to join this communityMy organism has power to generate blizzards. It lives in a planet full of methane and insulating gases.
My question is as to how it could generate a blizzard biologically. What compounds would be mixed to allow it to create this effect?
If a horde of these creature could emit into their environment hydrochloric acid (HCl, or stomach acid) and baking soda (NaHCO3, a dry powder) they could create an area where the temperature would drop considerably. Creating an high pressure pocket of carbon dioxide filled air that would spread outwards. Creating both a sudden temperature drop and a chocking hazard.
This won't work well on a planet with temperatures much lower than room temperature.
There are more reactions like this but they involve substances in short supply to lifeforms on earth.
https://www.chemicool.com/examples/spontaneous-endothermic-reactions.html
Comparing it to a hurricane:
If we start by looking at just the energy generated by the winds, we find that for a typical mature hurricane, we get numbers in the range of 1.5 x 10^12 Watts or 1.3 x 10^17 Joules/day (this is according to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory.)
The reaction gives −40.5 kJ mol-1. That would mean that there has to been 3.2 x 10^12 mol of NaHCO3 and HCl in solution released. Assuming a high concentration of 30% HCL. That gives a weight of 653 milion tonnes.
653 milion tonnes of chemicals needed for a 1 day storm of freezing air.