An intense stratospheric jet on Jupiter

F. M. Flasar (), V. G. Kunde, R. K. Achterberg, B. J. Conrath, A. A. Simon-Miller, C. A. Nixon, P. J. Gierasch, P. N. Romani, B. Bézard, P. Irwin, G. L. Bjoraker, J. C. Brasunas, D. E. Jennings, J. C. Pearl, M. D. Smith, G. S. Orton, L. J. Spilker, R. Carlson, S. B. Calcutt, P. L. Read, F. W. Taylor, P. Parrish, A. Barucci, R. Courtin, A. Coustenis, D. Gautier, E. Lellouch, A. Marten, R. Prangé, Y. Biraud, T. Fouchet, C. Ferrari, T. C. Owen, M. M. Abbas, R. E. Samuelson, F. Raulin, P. Ade, C. J. Césarsky, K. U. Grossman and A. Coradini
Additional contact information
F. M. Flasar: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
V. G. Kunde: University of Maryland
R. K. Achterberg: Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
B. J. Conrath: Cornell University
A. A. Simon-Miller: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
C. A. Nixon: University of Maryland
P. J. Gierasch: Cornell University
P. N. Romani: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
B. Bézard: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
P. Irwin: University of Oxford
G. L. Bjoraker: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
J. C. Brasunas: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
D. E. Jennings: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
J. C. Pearl: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
M. D. Smith: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
G. S. Orton: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
L. J. Spilker: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
R. Carlson: Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
S. B. Calcutt: University of Oxford
P. L. Read: University of Oxford
F. W. Taylor: University of Oxford
P. Parrish: University of Oxford
A. Barucci: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
R. Courtin: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
A. Coustenis: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
D. Gautier: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
E. Lellouch: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
A. Marten: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
R. Prangé: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
Y. Biraud: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
T. Fouchet: LESIA, CNRS-FRE 2461, Observatoire de Paris
C. Ferrari: CEA Saclay, Service d'Astrophysique
T. C. Owen: University of Hawaii, Institute of Astronomy
M. M. Abbas: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center
R. E. Samuelson: University of Maryland
F. Raulin: LISA, Université de Paris 7 & 12, CNRS – UMR 7583
P. Ade: University of Cardiff
C. J. Césarsky: European Southern Observatory
K. U. Grossman: Gesamthochschule Wuppertal, Department of Physics
A. Coradini: Instituto di Astrofisica Spaziale – CNR, Area della recerca di Tor Vergata

Nature, 2004, vol. 427, issue 6970, 132-135

Abstract: Abstract The Earth's equatorial stratosphere shows oscillations in which the east–west winds reverse direction and the temperatures change cyclically with a period of about two years1,2. This phenomenon, called the quasi-biennial oscillation, also affects the dynamics of the mid- and high-latitude stratosphere and weather in the lower atmosphere2. Ground-based observations have suggested3,4,5 that similar temperature oscillations (with a 4–5-yr cycle) occur on Jupiter, but these data suffer from poor vertical resolution and Jupiter's stratospheric wind velocities have not yet been determined. Here we report maps of temperatures and winds with high spatial resolution, obtained from spacecraft measurements of infrared spectra of Jupiter's stratosphere. We find an intense, high-altitude equatorial jet with a speed of ∼140 m s-1, whose spatial structure resembles that of a quasi-quadrennial oscillation. Wave activity in the stratosphere also appears analogous to that occurring on Earth. A strong interaction between Jupiter and its plasma environment produces hot spots in its upper atmosphere and stratosphere near its poles6,7,8,9, and the temperature maps define the penetration of the hot spots into the stratosphere.

Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02142

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