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montbarron t1_ixl0q6u wrote

Over time, wouldn’t the heavier gasses settle closer to the center of mass, and the outer atmosphere would be made of lighter gasses which have similar masses? So you would expect a roughly spherical configuration but with a density gradient?

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Ok_Construction5119 t1_ixlaldr wrote

Yes but there is a temperature differential. Gases expand and contract with temperature, so the densities are constantly changing. Even if there would be a difference at constant temperature, the heating and cooling dominates the equation.

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S1umL0rdAkr0n t1_ixmdvsc wrote

Yes, consider though warm water around the equater of earth and the polar ice caps. Similar principal.

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