NASA measures high-speed jet stream in Jupiter’s atmosphere
Scientists recently discovered a high-speed jet stream at Jupiter’s equator using the joint NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope
Webb’s images helped the team of scientists track fine details through the planet’s atmosphere, allowing them to measure these winds for the first time.
The newly discovered jet stream will provide scientists with insight into how the layers of Jupiter’s turbulent atmosphere interact.
Webb observed the jet stream on July 27, 2022, when it peered into Jupiter’s lower stratosphere, the atmospheric layer above the planet’s cloud tops.
The images allowed scientists to measure winds of up to 515 kilometers per hour, or about twice the sustained winds of a category five hurricane on Earth.
The Jovian jet stream is located 40 kilometers above the clouds and, at approximately 4,800 kilometers wide, quite narrow relative to the immense size of Jupiter.
“This is something that totally surprised us,” said lead author Ricardo Hueso of the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, Spain. “What we have always seen as blurred hazes in Jupiter’s atmosphere now appear as crisp features that we can track along with the planet’s fast rotation.”
Before Webb reached L2 and began performing scientific observations, scientists had been able to characterize the winds in the Jovian troposphere, the layer just below the stratosphere.
Using ground-based telescopes and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, researchers were able to take infrared temperature measurements and resolve details in the clouds. Tracking how these clouds moved through the planet’s atmosphere allowed scientists to measure the winds at cloud level.
However, these previous observations did not reveal much detail in the haze above Jupiter’s clouds. These hazes showed up on images as featureless, low-contrast areas. But now, with Webb’s incredible suite of infrared instruments, scientists were finally able to receive detailed images of the entire planet across a broad spectrum of light, allowing them to discern and track faint details in the planet’s equatorial hazes for the first time.
Jupiter is a bright target for Webb, which meant the researchers had to limit the frequencies of light they observed. They did so by using filters on the telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).
These filters not only dimmed the planet enough for Webb to observe it but also allowed the researchers to target specific altitudes for their observations.
“It’s amazing to me that, after years of tracking Jupiter’s clouds and winds from numerous observatories, we still have more to learn about Jupiter, and features like this jet can remain hidden from view until these new NIRCam images were taken in 2022,” said co-author Leigh Fletcher of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.
Hueso et al. repeated their observations after the planet had completed one rotation, ten hours later. By doing this, the researchers could observe the same area twice and see how the atmosphere changed over time.
In order to wholly understand the dynamics of Jupiter’s atmosphere and the newly discovered jet stream, the scientists compared the images from Webb with observations Hubble had taken the day after.
With Hubble’s images, they observed how the jet stream interacted with the cloud layer below it and measured how fast the winds changed with altitude and caused wind shears.
“We knew the different wavelengths of Webb and Hubble would reveal the three-dimensional structure of storm clouds, but we were also able to use the timing of the data to see how rapidly storms develop,” said co-author Michael Wong of the University of California, Berkeley, who led the associated Hubble observations.
Interestingly, scientists have long pondered the existence of this jet stream.
Ultraviolet (UV) images from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft gave scientists early hints of the now-confirmed jet stream. Cassini observed Jupiter in 2000 when it flew by on its way to its destination Saturn and showed an increase in wind speed a few kilometers above the clouds at Jupiter’s equator.
Ultimately, Cassini’s measurements did not lead to firm conclusions, as the low contrast in the UV images caused large uncertainties in the measurements.
Later in its mission, Cassini revealed equatorial jet streams on Saturn which are very similar to the newly discovered jets on Jupiter. By studying the differences and similarities between both planets, the researchers hope to unravel the mechanisms that shape the weather patterns around the equators of fast-rotating giant planets.
“Jupiter has a complicated but repeatable pattern of winds and temperatures in its equatorial stratosphere, high above the winds in the clouds and hazes measured at these wavelengths,” Fletcher explained. “If the strength of this new jet is connected to this oscillating stratospheric pattern, we might expect the jet to vary considerably over the next two to four years – it’ll be really exciting to test this theory in the years to come.”
The data used in this study was collected for Webb’s Early Release Science program. This program was set up to demonstrate the telescope’s full potential and explore its capabilities. This also allowed scientists to explore Webb data and plan follow-up observations.
“Even though various ground-based telescopes, spacecraft like NASA’s Juno and Cassini, and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have observed the Jovian system’s changing weather patterns, Webb has already provided new findings on Jupiter’s rings, satellites, and its atmosphere,” said Imke de Pater from the University of California.
De Pater jointly led the Early Release Science program with Thierry Fouchet from the Observatory of Paris.
See more here nasaspaceflight.com
Header image: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/R. Hueso (University of the Basque Country)/I. de Pater (University of California, Berkeley)/T. Fouchet (Observatory of Paris)/L. Fletcher (University of Leicester)/M. Wong (University of California, Berkeley)/J. DePasquale (STScI)
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Wisenox
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Jupiter
Ju pater
Ju father
Ju
*dyu
*Dyu = bright, shining, supernatural
When used as an adjective for the 2nd society, *Dyu refers to the elites rising above their peers (everyone else). Bright and shining.
Bright and shining is also the definition of ‘white’, and this is the correct sense of ‘white’ to use when listening to the media.
For example, “whites are responsible for slavery”. Well, yes. The nobility were the only ones who could afford the boats, crews, mercenaries and trade goods in order to obtain the slaves.
Another example, “White supremacy is a problem in the US”. Well yes. White, as in elites, wish to oppress the people. Also, middle class members who have risen above their peers, ‘whites’ by definition, wish to remain free.
Knowing these examples shows you how “blacks and mexicans can be white supremacists”, and how Hitler could both be a jew, *Dyu, and still oppress the people jews. 2 different societies, middle class and nobility.
Through this you can also see the glaring similarities with the way white people are treated today and the way jews were treated in WWII.
Their enemy is always the upper middle class, but they are always fools. It’s all a script, rinse and repeat, look at history. The middle class falls victim to apathy and hope, then one day, its simply too late. Wake up to the script.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Wisenox,
I read this article because I am certain that jet streams and weather clearly have important relationships which need to be understood better. I quote from the article: “Fletcher explained. “If the strength of this new jet is connected to this oscillatinttcing stratospheric pattern, we might expect the jet to vary considerably over the next two to four years – it’ll be really exciting to test this theory in the years to come.” to conclude (establish) that Fletcher and others in this article are scientists also.
Einstein stated: “IF you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it all enough.” Which means (to me) that comments need to be brief if possible.
Have a good day
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Wisenox,
You stated: “Through this you can also see the glaring similarities with the way white people are treated today and the way jews were treated in WWII.”
I had just quoted Einstein, a Jew, I seem to disagree with the theme of your comment. Einstein was also a pacifist. But during WWII we know that he wrote a letter to the President of the USA urging an effort to design and construct a new weapon–the nuclear bomb. And the President, an elite in more ways than one, heeded his advice.
To real scientists it does not matter what nationality one is, what matters is one’s demonstrated talents.
Have a good day
Have a good day
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Wisenox
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*Dyu is the PIE root word for jew. It has multiple contexts.
Einstein was a *dyu, he wasn’t a people jew like the general population. Same with Hitler.
They were both insiders.
You seem to be insulted by the root word. I didn’t invent it, nor have I used it deceptively, as Hitler and others have.
I feel that innocent people should know how to properly interpret words and phrases used by their media. It’s important for them to know in order to live their lives. You take it offensively, why so?
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Wisenox,
“I feel that innocent people should know how to properly interpret words and phrases used by their media. It’s important for them to know in order to live their lives.”
You ask “You take it offensively, why so?”
“I feel that innocent life scientists should know the difference between life science and physical science So I ask you; what is the great difference mammals and chemistry?
Have a good day
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Jerry Krause
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what is the great difference ‘between’ mammals and chemistry?
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Wisenox
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I don’t understand your question. It isn’t relevant to my post.
There is no difference. Mammals are a product of chemistry, and therefore a reflection.
Symbolism is neither, but forms the scaffold of society, even though the people don’t see it. They would be stronger people, achieve more, and overall be in better understanding of the world they live in.
Jupiter has many aspects, and the origin of it’s name directly correlates with my post.
Jerry Krause
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Hi Wisenox.
Ny answer to my question is: There are less than a hundred natural elements of natural physical matter while there are million, maybe earn billions, of mammals with different DNA.
Have a good day
Reply
Jerry Krause
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maybe even billions, of mammals with different DNA
Howdy
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“we still have more to learn about Jupiter”
Jupiter is the guru, teaching by using others, or purely by self reliance. It is a beneficiary.
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Howdy
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You might like this:
https://www.zodiacsign.com/astrology/planets/jupiter/
Also taken as the messiah.
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