In 2018, planetary scientists noticed a striking similarity between images of Jupiter’s massive cyclones and the turbulence seen in Earth’s oceans. This connection was further explored in 2022 when high-resolution infrared images of Jupiter’s cyclones, taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, revealed that a type of convection similar to that on Earth helps sustain these colossal storms. Jupiter’s cyclones can span thousands of miles and persist for years.
Insights from Juno's Infrared Images
The 2022 study focused on analyzing Jupiter’s cyclones using detailed infrared imagery from Juno. Researchers saw not only the huge cyclones but also wispy tendrils, known as filaments, in the spaces between the gassy vortices. These filaments also had earthly counterparts, prompting scientists to investigate whether the similarities with Earth’s oceanic and atmospheric processes were more than just superficial.
A Closer Look at Jupiter’s North Pole
Using data collected by JIRAM, an instrument on Juno, scientists created a composite image showing Jupiter’s central cyclone at the north pole surrounded by eight other cyclones. The infrared data highlighted temperature variations: yellow areas indicated thinner clouds with higher temperatures (around 9°F or -13°C), while dark red areas represented thicker clouds with lower temperatures (around -181°F or -83°C).
Understanding Fronts in Atmospheres and Oceans
Fronts, commonly mentioned in weather forecasts, represent the boundaries between gas or liquid masses with different densities due to temperature or salinity variations. These fronts feature strong vertical velocities at their edges, creating winds or currents.
Investigating Jupiter’s Filaments
To understand the role of the filaments seen between Jupiter’s cyclones, Dr. Lia Siegelman from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Dr. Patrice Klein from Caltech analyzed a series of 30-second interval infrared images from Juno. The infrared imagery allowed them to calculate temperatures, with bright areas indicating warmer regions and dark areas showing cooler regions.
By tracking the movement of clouds and filaments across the images, the researchers calculated horizontal wind speeds. Combining this data with temperature information, they applied ocean and atmospheric science methods to determine vertical wind speeds.
Similarities Between Earth and Jupiter
The analysis revealed that Jupiter’s filaments behave like atmospheric fronts on Earth. These fronts transport energy in the form of heat from Jupiter’s hot interior to its upper atmosphere, helping to power the giant cyclones. Although convection is the primary driver of these cyclones, fronts contribute a significant portion of the energy, accounting for a quarter of the total kinetic energy and forty percent of the vertical heat transport.
Implications and Future Research
Dr. Siegelman noted that the cyclones on Jupiter’s poles have persisted since their discovery in 2016. The relatively small filaments play a crucial role in sustaining these cyclones. The presence of fronts and convection on both Earth and Jupiter suggests that these processes might be common in other turbulent fluid bodies across the universe.
Jupiter’s massive scale and Juno’s high-resolution imagery provide a clearer view of how smaller-scale phenomena like fronts connect to larger ones like cyclones and the atmosphere. These connections are often harder to observe on Earth due to their smaller and more fleeting nature. However, the upcoming SWOT satellite promises to enhance our ability to observe such ocean phenomena.
Dr. Siegelman expressed a sense of cosmic beauty in discovering that physical mechanisms on Earth also exist on distant planets. The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Physics, contributing to our understanding of planetary atmospheres both near and far.