Saturn's Rotation Period Derived from its Atmospheric Rossby-Wave Configuration with Implications for its Internal Structure

Physics – Geophysics

Scientific paper

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Scientific paper

We report a determination of the rotation periods of Jupiter and Saturn based on an analysis of observed potential vorticity, inferred Rossby-wave dynamics, and considerations of marginal stability of the tropospheric zonal winds with respect to Arnol'd's second stability criterion (Read, Dowling and Schubert, 2009, Nature 460). Applied to Jupiter, this analysis produces a reference frame that differs from Jupiter's traditional System III frame by just 18±1 s. Applied to Saturn, we obtain a period of 10 h 34 min 13±20 s, which we call System IIIw (`w’ for `wave'). This rotation period is shifted more than 5 minutes faster than the traditional Voyager SKR-derived System III frame, corresponds to a drop in equatorial wind speed of more than 80 ms-1, and yields a pattern of alternating jets on Saturn that is qualitatively similar to that found on Jupiter. Given the System IIIw rotation period, the interior model of Helled, Schubert and Anderson (2009, Icarus 199, 368-377) predicts for Saturn a 100 hPa equatorial radius of 60327.8 km (assuming a polar radius of 54438 km), mean density 686.895 kgm-3, and gravitational coefficients J2, J4, and J6 of 16291.9e-6, -936.0e-6, and 86.2e-6, respectively. This research was supported by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (PLR), and NASA's Planetary Atmospheres (TED, GS), Outer Planets Research (TED) and Planetary Geology and Geophysics (GS, RH) Programs.

No associations

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for scientists and scientific papers. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Saturn's Rotation Period Derived from its Atmospheric Rossby-Wave Configuration with Implications for its Internal Structure 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 Saturn's Rotation Period Derived from its Atmospheric Rossby-Wave Configuration with Implications for its Internal Structure, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Saturn's Rotation Period Derived from its Atmospheric Rossby-Wave Configuration with Implications for its Internal Structure will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1332568

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.