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Possible fluid dynamical interpretation of some reported features in the Jovian atmosphereA fluid dynamical interpretation is presented of the two major types of disturbance found in the southern hemisphere of Jupiter by the Voyager 1 imaging data. The observed features always occur together, and consist of a compact elliptically shaped formation having an anticyclonic flow which is poleward of a pair of more elongated cyclonic structures, as in the Great Red Spot and the white ovals. It is noted that the anticyclonic features at 41 deg S may be described by the cnoidal wave solutions to the appropriate nonlinear evolution equation, and that flow patterns derived in the vicinity of the Great Red Spot and white ovals are strikingly similar to those obtained for the flow around a solitary wave of the type than can exist in a zonal flow such as that found in the Jupiter atmosphere. Results of computations in terms of solitary wave theory of flow fields in the atmospheric structure and zonal velocity profiles determined from Voyager infrared spectroscopy and radiometry data are then presented which show that the pattern must be a singular solitary wave mode, the east-west structure of which is best described by the Korteweg-de-Vries equation
Document ID
19810030943
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Maxworthy, T.
(California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Planetary Atmospheres Section, Pasadena; Southern California, University Los Angeles, Calif., United States)
Redekopp, L. G.
(Southern California, University Los Angeles, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 11, 2013
Publication Date
December 19, 1980
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 210
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
81A15347
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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