Saturn's Great White Spots

Details Saturn's Great White Spots Saturn's Great White Spots

Aug 1989

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989s%26t....78..141s&link_type=abstract

Sky and Telescope (ISSN 0037-6604), vol. 78, Aug. 1989, p. 141, 142.

Physics

3

Atmospheric Circulation, Saturn Atmosphere, Atmospheric Moisture, Insolation, Telescopes, Visual Photometry, Saturn, Surface, Features, Popular, Photographs, Earth-Based Observations, Clouds, Great White Spots, Description, Winds, Formation, Atmosphere, Origin, Convection, History

Scientific paper

The history of observations of the Great White Spots on Saturn is reviewed, incluing the 1876, 1903, 1933, and 1960 outbreaks. The spots have been used to trace zonal winds on Saturn, showing longitudinal expansion spot velocities of 30 to 45 m/s and north-south expansion velocities of about 3 m/s. The relationship between spot activity and the Saturnian atmosphere is discussed. A graph of insolation at the top of Saturn's atmosphere during Great White Spot activity and photographs of the 1933 and 1960 spots are presented. Because the trends in spot activity show a recurrence time of about one Saturnian year (29.51 yrs), it is suggested that spot activity may occur in 1989 or 1990.

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