Other
Scientific paper
Oct 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.5506l&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #55.06; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.526
Other
Scientific paper
The original Great Dark Spot of Neptune (GDS-89) remains one of the most dynamically intriguing features of the outer solar system. Attempts to simulate the motions of this object have generally failed to capture the complete phenomena, but rather have focused on a particular aspect, be it the oscillations (Polvani et al., 1990), the drift rate (LeBeau and Dowling, 1998), or the formation of the bright companion (Stratman et al., 2001). Additional aspects, such as the change in mean aspect ratio with latitude, have largely been ignored in simulation efforts. While accurately capturing a particular aspect of GDS-89 has provided physical insight, greater potential understanding of the underlying physical system can be achieved by quantitatively matching multiple aspects in a single numerical simulation.
The project presented here attempts to more closely match multiple aspects of GDS-89 motion by adjusting conditions such as background potential vorticity gradient and vortex strength and structure in the Explicit Planetary Isentropic-Coordinate General Circulation Model (EPIC GCM). This parametric investigation is guided by the earlier simulations with the objective of matching several key features of the observed GDS-89 motions: the 1.2 degree/month equatorward drift, the magnitude of the oscillations in aspect ratio and orientation angle, the eight day oscillation period, and the change in average aspect ratio with latitude. This investigation also includes assessing critical numerical considerations, such as the effects of boundary condition and grid construction. Attempting to match all these conditions does appear to significantly constrain the viable parameter space even if determining a single unique solution to this problem proves unlikely. Finally, understanding the evolution of GDS-89 will improve our understanding of physics underlying the Northern Great Dark Spots on Neptune, the new possible vortex feature on Uranus, or other outer planet vortices to be seen in future observations.
Deng Xinghua
Le Beau Raymond P.
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