Is Insolation the Dominant Factor in Triggering a Runaway Greenhouse?

Establish whether stellar insolation is the dominant control on the onset of a runaway greenhouse state on terrestrial planets, as opposed to other influences such as atmospheric composition, planetary mass, rotation, and cloud feedbacks.

Background

Habitable Zone and Venus Zone boundaries are model-dependent, and planetary climate is influenced by multiple factors beyond insolation. Understanding which factors dominate the transition to a runaway greenhouse is critical for interpreting exoplanet observations and for applying Solar System insights to other systems.

Determining the primacy of insolation in initiating a runaway greenhouse will refine occurrence estimates of Venus-like worlds and inform target selection and interpretation for atmospheric characterization.