Jupiter's Atmosphere
Chemical Composition:
- mostly H, He
- clouds of ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4),
ammonia hydrosulfide (NH4HS)
Structure:
- Horizontal stripes: due to convection
- Bright zones: upwellings of gas, we see the colder
upper layer
- Dark bands: downdrafts, darker inner layers.
- Jet streams (300 km/h) in opposite directions cause
shear
- Ovals: turbulent eddies -- cyclonic storms!
- the Great Red Spot (semi-permanent feature - 3 Earths
would fit inside)
- many white ovals (smaller)
Jupiter in Action
More Jupiter in Action
What causes this structure?
Why is the atmosphere so dynamic?