Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userJupiters North Equatorial Belt expansion and thermal wave activity ahead of Junos arrival
73
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
The dark colors of Jupiters North Equatorial Belt (NEB, $7-17^circ$N) appeared to expand northward into the neighboring zone in 2015, consistent with a 3-5 year cycle of activity in the NEB.
rate research
Read More
Near-Infrared spectra of Jupiters South Equatorial Belt (SEB) with AAT/IRIS2 in H and K bands at a resolving power of R~2400 have been obtained. By creating line-by-line radiative transfer models with the latest improved spectral line data for ammonia and methane (HITRAN2016), we derive best models of cloud/haze parameters in Jupiters South Equatorial Belt. The modelled spectra fit the observations well except for small, isolated discrepancies in the trough region of H2-H2 collision-induced-absorption around 2.08 {mu}m and the methane absorption level between 2.16 and 2.19 {mu}m in K band and at the high pressure methane window between 1.596 to 1.618 {mu}m in H band.
Oxygen is the most common element after hydrogen and helium in Jupiters atmosphere, and may have been the primary condensable (as water ice) in the protoplanetary disk. Prior to the Juno mission, in situ measurements of Jupiters water abundance were obtained from the Galileo Probe, which dropped into a meteorologically anomalous site. The findings of the Galileo Probe were inconclusive because the concentration of water was still increasing when the probe died. Here, we initially report on the water abundance in the equatorial region, from 0 to 4 degrees north latitude, based on 1.25 to 22 GHz data from Juno Microwave radiometer probing approximately 0.7 to 30 bars pressure. Because Juno discovered the deep atmosphere to be surprisingly variable as a function of latitude, it remains to confirm whether the equatorial abundance represents Jupiters global water abundance. The water abundance at the equatorial region is inferred to be $2.5_{-1.6}^{+2.2}times10^3$ ppm, or $2.7_{-1.7}^{+2.4}$ times the protosolar oxygen elemental ratio to H (1$sigma$ uncertainties). If reflective of the global water abundance, the result suggests that the planetesimals formed Jupiter are unlikely to be water-rich clathrate hydrates.
Since the 1950s, quasi-periodic oscillations have been studied in the terrestrial equatorial stratosphere. Other planets of the solar system present (or are expected to present) such oscillations, like the Jupiter Equatorial Oscillation(JEO) and the Saturn Semi-Annual Oscillation (SSAO). In Jupiters stratosphere, the equatorial oscillation of its relative temperature structure about the equator, is characterized by a quasi-period of 4.4 years. The stratospheric wind field in Jupiters equatorial zone has never been directly observed. In this paper, we aim at mapping the absolute wind speeds in Jupiters equatorial stratosphere to quantify vertical and horizontal wind and temperature shear. Assuming geostrophic equilibrium, we apply the thermal wind balance using nearly simultaneous stratospheric temperature measurements between 0.1 and 30 mbar performed with Gemini/TEXES and direct zonal wind measurements derived at 1 mbar from ALMA observations, all carried out between March 14th and 22nd, 2017. We are thus able to calculate self-consistently the zonal wind field in Jupiters stratosphere where the JEO occurs. We obtain stratospheric map of the zonal wind speeds as a function of latitude and pressure about Jupiters equator for the first time. The winds are vertically layered with successive eastward and westward jets. We find a 200 m/s westward jet at 4 mbar at the equator, with a typical longitudinal variability on the order of ~50 m/s. By extending our wind calculations to the upper troposphere, we find a wind structure qualitatively close to the wind observed using cloud-tracking techniques. Nearly simultaneous temperature and wind measurements, both in the stratosphere, are a powerful tool for future investigations of the JEO (and other planetary equatorial oscillations) and its temporal evolution.
We present multi-wavelength measurements of the thermal, chemical, and cloud contrasts associated with the visibly dark formations (also known as 5-$mu$m hot spots) and intervening bright plumes on the boundary between Jupiters Equatorial Zone (EZ) and North Equatorial Belt (NEB). Observations made by the TEXES 5-20 $mu$m spectrometer at the Gemini North Telescope in March 2017 reveal the upper-tropospheric properties of 12 hot spots, which are directly compared to measurements by Juno using the Microwave Radiometer (MWR), JIRAM at 5 $mu$m, and JunoCam visible images. MWR and thermal-infrared spectroscopic results are consistent near 0.7 bar. Mid-infrared-derived aerosol opacity is consistent with that inferred from visible-albedo and 5-$mu$m opacity maps. Aerosol contrasts, the defining characteristics of the cloudy plumes and aerosol-depleted hot spots, are not a good proxy for microwave brightness. The hot spots are neither uniformly warmer nor ammonia-depleted compared to their surroundings at $p<1$ bar. At 0.7 bar, the microwave brightness at the edges of hot spots is comparable to other features within the NEB. Conversely, hot spots are brighter at 1.5 bar, signifying either warm temperatures and/or depleted NH$_3$ at depth. Temperatures and ammonia are spatially variable within the hot spots, so the precise location of the observations matters to their interpretation. Reflective plumes sometimes have enhanced NH$_3$, cold temperatures, and elevated aerosol opacity, but each plume appears different. Neither plumes nor hot spots had microwave signatures in channels sensing $p>10$ bars, suggesting that the hot-spot/plume wave is a relatively shallow feature.
It has been suggested that the comet-like activity of Main Belt Comets are due to the sublimation of sub-surface water-ice that has been exposed as a result of their surfaces being impacted by m-sized bodies. We have examined the viability of this scenario by simulating impacts between m-sized and km-sized objects using a smooth particle hydrodynamics approach. Simulations have been carried out for different values of the impact velocity and impact angle as well as different target material and water-mass fraction. Results indicate that for the range of impact velocities corresponding to those in the asteroid belt, the depth of an impact crater is slightly larger than 10 m suggesting that if the activation of MBCs is due to the sublimation of sub-surface water-ice, this ice has to exist no deeper than a few meters from the surface. Results also show that ice-exposure occurs in the bottom and on the interior surface of impact craters as well as the surface of the target where some of the ejected icy inclusions are re-accreted. While our results demonstrate that the impact scenario is indeed a viable mechanism to expose ice and trigger the activity of MBCs, they also indicate that the activity of the current MBCs is likely due to ice sublimation from multiple impact sites and/or the water contents of these objects (and other asteroids in the outer asteroid belt) is larger than the 5% that is traditionally considered in models of terrestrial planet formation providing more ice for sublimation. We present details of our simulations and discuss their results and implications.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
