Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.1410l&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #14.10
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
The Dark Spots observed on Uranus and Neptune have often been paired with persistent methane cloud features known as Bright Companions. These companion clouds are thought to be orographic and to therefore track the motion of the vortex. Such companion clouds were observed in conjunction with the original Great Dark Spot (GDS-89) and the later Northern Great Dark Spot (NGDS-32) on Neptune. Although smaller, a possible companion cloud has also been observed for the first Uranian Dark Spot (UDS). Thus, these features are more properly considered in the context of a vortex-cloud system.
Previous studies of the dynamics of these dark spots have generally treated the vortex in a purely dynamical sense, ignoring the existence of the cloud features. However, recent simulations with the Explicit Planetary Isentropic-Coordinate General Circulation Model (EPIC GCM) suggest that the existence or non-existence of a bright companion may have considerable influence on the observed dynamics of the vortex feature. Based on current simulations of GDS-89, the cloud may considerably stabilize the shape oscillations, reducing their amplitude. In contrast, the meridional drift of the vortex appears to be less sensitive to the existence of a companion cloud. For the UDS, the existence of a bright companion appears to likewise stabilize the vortex shape, permitting it a longer lifespan as a compact feature. These results suggest that bright companion clouds are more than passive markers of vortex location, but in fact significantly influence the observed motions of these Dark Spots.
This research is funded by the NASA Planetary Atmospheres Program.
Deng Xinghua
Le Beau Raymond P.
Palotai Csaba
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