Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007agufm.p53c..02s&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2007, abstract #P53C-02
Physics
3324 Lightning, 3384 Acoustic-Gravity Waves, 5704 Atmospheres (0343, 1060), 6220 Jupiter
Scientific paper
Enroute to Pluto, the New Horizons encounter with Jupiter in January-March 2007 produced stunning new views and revelations about jovian dynamic meteorology. The sharpest multi-spectral global views ever obtained in the near-infrared revealed spectroscopically-identified ammonia clouds (SIACs) near 30 degrees south latitude, the first such detection of discrete ammonia clouds southward of the Great Red Spot. Movies of these clouds obtained over four jovian days revealed their rapid development and dissipation, consistent with a lifetime for SIACs of a few days. Winds within the Little Red Spot (LRS) measured by the LORRI telescopic imager were found to be comparable to those of the Great Red Spot. High spatial-resolution multi-spectral visual imagery by the MVIC camera revealed detailed 3-D views of the LRS and turbulence in the southern hemisphere. The turbulent wake region northwest of the Great Red Spot was found to be quiescent, absent the dynamic cloud systems observed over the previous 28 years by the Voyager, Galileo, and Cassini spacecraft. Compared to previous spacecraft views, a significant thinning of clouds is reported for the southern half of the Equatorial Region. Mesoscale wave structures are observed at low latitudes at a spatial resolution of about 11 km with LORRI, yielding a longitudinal wavelength of 300 km and a 100 m/s phase velocity relative to the zonal flow, much higher than had been predicted. Lightning was discovered at both poles, the first such optical detection of polar lightning for any planet beyond the Earth. The mean polar lightning radiative flux is found to be comparable to that previously reported for the mid-latitudes and significantly greater than reported for the equatorial region, consistent with internal heating being the main driver of convection on Jupiter.
Alan Stern S.
Baines Kevin Hays
Cheng Andrew F.
Gladstone Randall G.
Jennings Donald E.
No associations
LandOfFree
New Horizons at Jupiter: From Polar Lightning to Equatorial Waves 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 New Horizons at Jupiter: From Polar Lightning to Equatorial Waves, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and New Horizons at Jupiter: From Polar Lightning to Equatorial Waves will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1408284