Theory 87/Planetary/Atmospheric escape
Escape Needs Thermal Over Gravity
The claim
Whether an atmosphere escapes is set by the ratio of thermal velocity to escape velocity, so a warm light gas escapes from a planet that retains a cold heavy one.
01Mechanism
Molecules in the tail of the thermal distribution exceed escape velocity; the ratio sets what fraction can.
02Prediction
Escape should track the ratio by species.
03Refutation
Escape tracking mass alone would remove temperature.