Captured during its 54th close approach to Jupiter on September 7, 2023, this image of the giant planet was produced from raw data acquired by NASA’s Juno spacecraft’s JunoCam. The processing of this data highlighted intricate details in the cloud formations and their colorations. The image is credited to NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS and was processed by Tanya Oleksuik under CC BY NC SA 3.0.
This discovery sheds light on the debated internal structure of Jupiter, the gas giant.
Data from NASA’s Juno mission’s gravity measurements suggests that Jupiter’s atmospheric winds extend into the planet in columns aligned with its axis of rotation. This finding was detailed in a recent article in Nature Astronomy.
Exploring Jupiter’s Atmosphere
Since its orbit insertion in 2016, Juno has closely observed Jupiter’s volatile atmosphere through 55 flybys, using its array of scientific instruments to probe beneath the tumultuous clouds, revealing the inner workings of the gas giant.
The accompanying illustration depicts Juno entering Jupiter’s orbit on July 4, 2016, after a journey spanning nearly five years and over 1.7 billion miles. This image is credited to NASA/JPL/SwRI.
Radio Science: Probing Jupiter’s Depths
Juno’s insights into Jupiter’s interior come partly from radio science. The spacecraft’s radio signal, monitored by NASA’s Deep Space Network antennas, undergoes minute velocity changes—down to 0.01 millimeter per second—as Juno speeds past Jupiter at approximately 130,000 mph (209,000 kph). These changes, influenced by the planet’s gravity field, allow researchers to virtually peer into Jupiter’s atmosphere.
These observations have led to several discoveries, including a diffuse core deep within Jupiter and the extent of its zones and belts, reaching about 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) below the cloud tops.
Advanced Mathematical Methods
To identify the cylindrical pattern and location of these winds, the researchers utilized a mathematical method typically employed for modeling gravitational variations and surface features of terrestrial planets. This method, adapted for Jupiter, enabled mapping of winds at significant depths with a resolution four times greater than earlier models based on data from NASA’s Voyager and Galileo missions.
An illustration visualizes the research findings: Jupiter’s atmospheric winds are cylindrical and aligned with its spin axis. The most prominent jet stream recorded by Juno is located at 21 degrees north latitude at the cloud level, but shifts to 13 degrees north latitude at a depth of 1,800 miles (3,000 kilometers). This image is credited to NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/SWRI/MSSS/ASI/INAF/JIRAM/Björn Jónsson under CC BY 3.0.
“We adopted a constraining technique, originally developed for data-sparse terrestrial planets, to process the Juno data,” explained Ryan Park, a Juno scientist and head of the mission’s gravity science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “This marked the first application of such a technique to a gas giant.”
The gravity measurements aligned with a model two decades old, suggesting Jupiter’s intense east-west zonal flows extend inward from the cloud-level zones and belts in a cylindrical fashion, rather than radiating spherically. This discovery resolves debates about Jupiter’s atmospheric wind structure dating back to the 1970s.
“All 40 gravity coefficients measured by Juno conformed to our pre-established expectations of Jupiter’s gravity field if the winds were cylindrical,” stated Yohai Kaspi from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, the study’s lead author and a Juno co-investigator. “Having all 40 coefficients match our predictions felt akin to winning a lottery.”
Implications for Future Research and Missions
This new understanding of Jupiter’s internal structure and origins not only enhances our knowledge of the gas giant but could also inform studies of other planetary atmospheres.
Juno, now on an extended mission, continues to make close passes by Jupiter and its icy moons Ganymede, Europa, and Io, with an upcoming flyby of Io being the closest yet at about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) from its volcanic surface.
Scott Bolton, Juno’s principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, remarked, “As we continue Juno’s journey, we’re uncovering aspects of Jupiter that redefine our understanding of not just this giant planet but potentially all giant planets in and beyond our solar system. The precision of our newly determined gravity field remarkably matches the accuracy we predicted 20 years ago.”
This research, titled “Observational evidence for cylindrically oriented zonal flows on Jupiter” by Y. Kaspi et al., was published on October 26, 2023, in Nature Astronomy. DOI: 10.1038/s41550-023-02077-8.
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Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Jupiter’s atmospheric winds
What did NASA’s Juno spacecraft discover about Jupiter’s winds?
NASA’s Juno spacecraft discovered that Jupiter’s atmospheric winds penetrate the planet in a cylindrical manner, aligned with its spin axis. This finding, derived from gravity data, offers a deeper understanding of the gas giant’s internal structure.
How did the Juno mission analyze Jupiter’s atmospheric winds?
The Juno mission analyzed Jupiter’s winds using radio science. By tracking tiny velocity changes in Juno’s radio signal as it orbited Jupiter at high speeds, scientists could measure variations in the planet’s gravity field, providing insights into the atmosphere’s structure.
What significant insights has the Juno mission provided about Jupiter?
The Juno mission has provided key insights into Jupiter’s internal structure, including the discovery of a diffuse core and the depth of the planet’s zones and belts, which extend approximately 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometers) beneath the cloud tops.
What mathematical technique was used to map Jupiter’s winds?
To map Jupiter’s winds, researchers applied a mathematical technique typically used for modeling gravitational variations and surface elevations on rocky planets. This method enabled them to accurately map winds at depth on Jupiter.
What are the implications of Juno’s findings for future space missions?
Juno’s findings about Jupiter’s internal structure and atmospheric dynamics enhance our understanding of gas giants and could inform future studies of other planetary atmospheres. The mission’s ongoing exploration, including flybys of Jupiter’s moons, continues to provide valuable data.
More about Jupiter’s atmospheric winds
- Juno Mission Overview by NASA
- Nature Astronomy Journal
- Deep Space Network – NASA
- Weizmann Institute of Science
- Southwest Research Institute – Juno Mission
