Initial development of the June 1971 south equatorial belt disturbance on Jupiter

Photographs taken with the Catalina 61-inch reflector from June 21 through July 10, 1971 have permitted study and measurement of early developments of a major South Equatorial Belt (SEB) disturbance. High resolution photographs of the disturbance were obtained on seven nights during the 19-day interval. The first photograph at 04:38 UT on June 21 recorded the initial outbreak at 79.5 deg longitude (System 2), and -14 deg Zenographic latitude. From this point, dark spots moved along the SEBs towards increasing longitude. The preceding white spot had an initial period of 9h54m32.5 tor-3.5s, and retrograding dark spots on the SEBs a mean period of 9h58m30s.5 tor- 7s. The feature from which all the spots emerged had a rotation period of 9h55m29s tor- 2.5s, and is close to the System 3 radio period of 9h55m29.73s tor- 0.04s derived by Carr.