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The Great Cold Spot in Jupiter's upper atmosphere
Tom S Stallard1, Henrik Melin1, Steve Miller2
1Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Leicester Leicester UK.
Geophysical Research Letters
|June 13, 2017
Summary
Jupiter's thermosphere has a mysterious "Great Cold Spot." This aurorally generated weather system is the first evidence of a long-term thermospheric vortex, challenging previous models of energy flow.
Area of Science:
- Planetary Science
- Atmospheric Physics
- Space Physics
Background:
- Previous models suggested smooth thermal gradients in Jupiter's thermosphere due to auroral heat.
- Limited resolution of past observations hindered detailed analysis of thermospheric energy flow.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate localized thermal features in Jupiter's nonauroral thermosphere.
- To identify the cause and nature of the observed thermal anomaly.
- To provide the first direct evidence of a long-term thermospheric vortex.
Main Methods:
- Observations using the Very Large Telescope-Cryogenic High-Resolution IR Echelle Spectrometer (VLT-CHRIL).
- Analysis of Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) Near-Infrared Spectro-Imager (NSFCam) images.
- Long-term monitoring of the thermal feature's stability and characteristics.
Main Results:
- Discovery of a localized cooling of approximately 200 K in Jupiter's nonauroral thermosphere.
- Identification of a quasi-stable feature, termed the 'Great Cold Spot', persisting for over 15 years.
- Variations in the spot's size and shape suggest an aurorally generated weather system.
Conclusions:
- The 'Great Cold Spot' represents the first direct evidence of a long-term thermospheric vortex in the solar system.
- This finding challenges previous understandings of energy flow and atmospheric dynamics in Jupiter's thermosphere.
- The phenomenon offers insights into atmospheric processes, with potential comparisons to Earth's thermospheric variations.
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