Physics
Scientific paper
Oct 1990
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1990sci...250..435i&link_type=abstract
Science (ISSN 0036-8075), vol. 250, Oct. 19, 1990, p. 435-437.
Physics
9
Dust Storms, Planetary Meteorology, Satellite Atmospheres, Triton, Atmospheric Circulation, Atmospheric Models, Atmospheric Turbulence, Turbulent Mixing, Vorticity
Scientific paper
Triton's plumes are narrow columns 10 km in height, with tails extending horizontally for distances over 100 km. This structure suggests that the plumes are an atmospheric rather than a surface phenomenon. The closest terrestrial analogs may be dust devils, which are atmospheric vortices originating in the unstable layer close to the ground. Since Triton has such a low surface pressure, extremely unstable layers could develop during the day. Patches of unfrosted ground near the subsolar point could act as sites for dust devil formation because they heat up relative to the surrounding nitrogen frost. The resulting convection would warm the atmosphere to temperatures of 48 k or higher, as observed by the Voyager radio science team. Assuming that velocity scales as the square root of temperature difference times the height of the mixed layer, a velocity of 20 m/sec is derived for the strongest dust devils on Triton. Winds of this speed could raise particles provided they are a factor of 1000 to 10,000 less cohesive than those on earth.
Ingersoll P. A. P. A.
Tryka Kimberly A.
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