Change of Seasons on Jovian Planets: Ground-based High Spatial Thermal Observations

Details Change of Seasons on Jovian Planets: Ground-based High Spatial Thermal Observations Change of Seasons on Jovian Planets: Ground-based High Spatial Thermal Observations

May 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009aas...21430504y&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #214, #305.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 41, p.722

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Scientific paper

We report on the seasonal changes observed on all four of the solar system jovian planets, based on mid-infrared data acquired from several observatories (NASA/IRTF, NAOJ/Subaru, ESO/VLT) from 2005 to present. Jupiter's atmosphere underwent a global upheaval, from color transformation of discrete and axisymmetric features to interaction of giant vortices; Saturn is approaching its vernal equinox in August 2009 and its cold northern hemisphere is emerging into sunlight after years of obscuration; Saturn rings are closing towards their edge-on apparition; Uranus underwent its equinox in 2007, where seasons last 20 years and its north pole is warming up; and Neptune demonstrated a warm south pole, with a possible mechanism for escape of methane into the stratosphere. Although each planet is at a different stage of its seasonal cycle, taken together, our observations illustrate several overarching science investigations of the local meteorology on Jovian planets: What are the circulation patterns? What explains the warm south poles? What are the variations in the distribution of key chemical species such as ammonia, phosphine, and other hydrocarbons?

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