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An enduring rapidly moving storm as a guide to Saturn’s Equatorial jet’s complex structure

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  • A. Sánchez-Lavega

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • E. García-Melendo

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao
    Fundació Observatori Esteve Duran, c/ Montseny)

  • S. Pérez-Hoyos

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • R. Hueso

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • M. H. Wong

    (University of California)

  • A. Simon

    (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/690)

  • J. F. Sanz-Requena

    (Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes)

  • A. Antuñano

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • N. Barrado-Izagirre

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • I. Garate-Lopez

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • J. F. Rojas

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • T. del Río-Gaztelurrutia

    (Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao)

  • J. M. Gómez-Forrellad

    (Fundació Observatori Esteve Duran, c/ Montseny)

  • I. de Pater

    (University of California)

  • L. Li

    (University of Houston)

  • T. Barry

    (Broken Hill Observatory)

Abstract

Saturn has an intense and broad eastward equatorial jet with a complex three-dimensional structure mixed with time variability. The equatorial region experiences strong seasonal insolation variations enhanced by ring shadowing, and three of the six known giant planetary-scale storms have developed in it. These factors make Saturn’s equator a natural laboratory to test models of jets in giant planets. Here we report on a bright equatorial atmospheric feature imaged in 2015 that moved steadily at a high speed of 450 ms−1 not measured since 1980–1981 with other equatorial clouds moving within an ample range of velocities. Radiative transfer models show that these motions occur at three altitude levels within the upper haze and clouds. We find that the peak of the jet (latitudes 10° N to 10° S) suffers intense vertical shears reaching +2.5 ms−1 km−1, two orders of magnitude higher than meridional shears, and temporal variability above 1 bar altitude level.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Sánchez-Lavega & E. García-Melendo & S. Pérez-Hoyos & R. Hueso & M. H. Wong & A. Simon & J. F. Sanz-Requena & A. Antuñano & N. Barrado-Izagirre & I. Garate-Lopez & J. F. Rojas & T. del Río-Gaztelur, 2016. "An enduring rapidly moving storm as a guide to Saturn’s Equatorial jet’s complex structure," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms13262
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13262
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