Jupiter's ammonia clouds localized or ubiquitous?

Details Jupiter's ammonia clouds localized or ubiquitous? Jupiter's ammonia clouds localized or ubiquitous?

Apr 2003

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003eaeja.....4665a&link_type=abstract

EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly, Abstracts from the meeting held in Nice, France, 6 - 11 April 2003, abstract #4665

Other

Scientific paper

Based on the Galileo Near Infrared Imaging (NIMS) data, Baines et al. (2002) have reported that spectrally identifiable ammonia clouds (SIAC) cover less than 1% of Jupiter. Yet, ground-based, satellite and spacecraft observations show that, with the exception of some relatively clear regions (belts, hot spots), clouds exist everywhere on Jupiter. Thermochemical models also predict that Jupiter must be covered with clouds made up of ammonia ice (Atreya 1986). For a solar composition atmosphere, models predict the base of the ammonia clouds to be at ˜720 mb, and at ˜1000 mb if N/H were 3.5 times solar (Atreya et al. 1999). The model results are in agreement with the findings of the Galileo Orbiter imaging observations of Jupiter that show a cloud of varying opacity with its base at 750±200 mb (Banfield et al. 1998). Thus, the above NIMS findings are seemingly at odds with other observations and cloud physics models. In this paper, we will attempt to show that the Jovian meteorology combined with thermochemistry can account for the existence of both the localized SIAC detected by NIMS and the ubiquitous clouds of ammonia that are perhaps coated with photochemical haze or meteoritic dust particles from above. Since most of the SIAC are short-lived (˜1 day) and collocated with 5 μm hot spots, both covering 10-15% of the equatorial region and 1% of the planet, we suggest that SIAC are freshly minted in the upwelling arm of an updraft-downdraft cell associated with Jupiter's 5 μm hot spots (Atreya et al. 1999). Thus, the observed SIAC in no way argue against the existence of ubiquitous clouds of ammonia on Jupiter, but are simply in addition to them and transient. References: Atreya, S. K., Atmospheres and Ionospheres of the Outer Planets and their Satellites, Springer-Verlag, New York-Berlin, Chapt. 3, 1986. Atreya et al., PSS, 47, 1243, 1999. Baines et al., Icarus, 159, 74, 2002. Banfield et al., Icarus, 135, 230, 1998.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Jupiter's ammonia clouds localized or ubiquitous? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Jupiter's ammonia clouds localized or ubiquitous?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Jupiter's ammonia clouds localized or ubiquitous? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-842985