Scientists may finally learn why Jupiter and Saturn have vastly different weather patterns at their poles, even though they have similar sizes and compositions. The discovery could help researchers delve deeper into the interiors of these gas giants.
observation of two people solar system gas giant revealed JupiterAt the north pole of , there is a central polar vortex surrounded by eight smaller vortices. Saturn Above the North Pole is a giant atmospheric vortex with a strange hexagonal shape.
“Our study shows that the nature of the interior and the softness of the bottom of the vortex influences the type of fluid pattern observed at the surface,” said research team member Wine Kang from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). said in a statement. “I don’t think anyone has made the connection between the fluid patterns on the surface of these planets and the properties of their interiors. One possible scenario is that Saturn’s bottom is harder than Jupiter’s.”
Is it softer than Saturn?
Kang and his colleagues were inspired to run the simulation after seeing satellite images of Jupiter. juno spacecraft, It has been orbiting the solar system’s largest planet since 2016, according to images of Saturn provided. cassini It took more than 13 years of observations before intentionally plunging into the ringed planet at the end of its mission in 2017.
Juno’s images revealed the enormous scale of Jupiter’s polar storms, which span some 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) across. By the way, this corresponds to about half the width of the Earth. Meanwhile, Cassini’s observations of Saturn showed that its single hexagonal vortex was an astonishing 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) wide.
Astronomers do not know why there is such a difference in the size of the two planets’ vortices. “People have spent a lot of time deciphering the differences between Jupiter and Saturn,” said team leader and MIT scientist Jial Shi. “These planets are about the same size, and both are made primarily of hydrogen and helium. It’s unclear why the polar vortices are so different.”
To answer this question, the team developed a 2D model that shows how the polar vortices of gas giant planets like Saturn and Jupiter evolve over time and applied it to a variety of scenarios. This includes changes in properties such as the planet’s size, rotational speed, internal heating, and the hardness of the rotating fluid within the vortex.
After confirming that the fluid within these vortices flows in a random pattern, the scientists were ready to determine how the fluid evolves under certain conditions. This led to the discovery that a single mechanism could determine whether a single vortex or multiple vortices were generated. The softer the gas rotating at the bottom of the vortex, the smaller the vortex will be. This allows for the formation of multiple vortices, just like those seen at Jupiter’s poles.
If the research team is correct, this means that Jupiter is made up of softer, and therefore lighter, gas, while Saturn is likely made up of heavier gaseous material.
“What we see from the surface, the fluid patterns of Jupiter and Saturn, may tell us something about the interior, such as how soft the bottom is. This is important because beneath Saturn’s surface, the interior is probably more metal-rich and contains more condensable material, allowing for stronger stratification than on Jupiter,” Shi concluded. “This will improve our understanding of these gas giant planets.”
The team’s research has been accepted for publication in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.