Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2025
06:48
Surface Mapping of Earth-like Exoplanets using Single Point Light Curves
Published on: May 10, 2020
3.5K
Vertical structure of an exoplanet's atmospheric jet stream
Julia V Seidel1,2, Bibiana Prinoth3,4, Lorenzo Pino5
1European Southern Observatory, Santiago, Chile. jseidel@oca.eu.
Nature
|February 18, 2025
Summary
Ultra-hot Jupiters exhibit unique atmospheric circulation patterns, with energy flowing from day to night sides below a super-rotational jet. This finding challenges current climate models for exoplanets.
Area of Science:
- Exoplanetary science
- Atmospheric physics
- Climate dynamics
Background:
- Ultra-hot Jupiters are exoplanets with extreme temperatures, posing puzzles for energy distribution.
- Understanding their atmospheric dynamics is crucial for testing climate models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the three-dimensional atmospheric circulation of an ultra-hot Jupiter.
- To compare observed vertical circulation patterns with global circulation models.
Main Methods:
- Observational analysis of atmospheric dynamics in an ultra-hot Jupiter.
- Resolving the vertical structure of atmospheric flows.
Main Results:
- A shift in atmospheric circulation was observed: unilateral flow from day to night side below an equatorial super-rotational jet.
- The study moves beyond integrated atmospheric snapshots to resolve vertical dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Observed circulation patterns in ultra-hot Jupiters present a challenge for current first-principles global circulation models.
- This work provides a testbed for developing more comprehensive exoplanetary atmospheric models.
Related Concept Videos
01:26General External Flow Characteristics
65
The study of external flow is essential for creating structures and objects that interact efficiently and safely with moving fluids, such as air or water. When a body is immersed in a flowing fluid, it experiences two primary forces: drag, which opposes motion along the flow direction, and lift, which acts perpendicular to the flow. The shape, size, and orientation of the object influence these forces.Streamlined and Blunt Bodies in External FlowObjects in fluid flow are classified as...
65
01:10Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion
3.9K
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. He formulated his first two laws based on the observations of his forebears, Nikolaus Copernicus and Tycho Brahe.
Polish astronomer Nikolaus Copernicus put forth a theory that stated a heliocentric model for the solar system. According to this heliocentric theory, all the planets, including Earth, orbit the Sun in circular orbits.
On the other hand,...
Polish astronomer Nikolaus Copernicus put forth a theory that stated a heliocentric model for the solar system. According to this heliocentric theory, all the planets, including Earth, orbit the Sun in circular orbits.
On the other hand,...
3.9K
01:18Variation of Atmospheric Pressure
2.0K
Change in atmospheric pressure with height is particularly interesting. The decrease in atmospheric pressure with increasing altitude is due to the decreasing gravitational force per unit area as we move away from the surface of the earth.
Assuming the air temperature is constant at a given altitude and that the ideal gas law of thermodynamics describes the atmosphere to a good approximation, one can find the variation of atmospheric pressure with height.
Let p(y) be the atmospheric pressure at...
Assuming the air temperature is constant at a given altitude and that the ideal gas law of thermodynamics describes the atmosphere to a good approximation, one can find the variation of atmospheric pressure with height.
Let p(y) be the atmospheric pressure at...
2.0K
01:18Boundary Layer Characteristics
28
When a fluid encounters a solid surface, a boundary layer forms due to the interaction between the fluid's motion and the stationary surface. This phenomenon is characterized by a thin region adjacent to the surface where viscous forces dominate, influencing the fluid's velocity profile. The development of the boundary layer begins at the leading edge of the surface and evolves as the fluid moves downstream.As the fluid flows over the surface, friction between the fluid and the wall slows down...
28
01:24Acceleration due to Gravity on Other Planets
4.0K
The gravitational acceleration of an object near the Earth's surface is called the acceleration due to gravity. It can be measured by conducting simple experiments on Earth. However, such an experiment is impossible to conduct on the surface of other planets.
Astronomical observations are thus used to measure the acceleration due to gravity on other planets. This can be determined by observing the effect of a planet's gravity on objects close to it. The crucial factor that helps in this...
Astronomical observations are thus used to measure the acceleration due to gravity on other planets. This can be determined by observing the effect of a planet's gravity on objects close to it. The crucial factor that helps in this...
4.0K
01:29Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion
4.1K
In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. His first law states that all planets orbit the Sun in an elliptical orbit, with the Sun at one of the ellipse's foci. Therefore, the distance of a planet from the Sun varies throughout its revolution around the Sun.
While in an elliptical orbit, the total energy of the planet is conserved. Therefore, the planet slows down when it is at apogee and...
While in an elliptical orbit, the total energy of the planet is conserved. Therefore, the planet slows down when it is at apogee and...
4.1K