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Flow fields within Jupiter's Great Red Spot and White Oval BCVoyager 1 high-resolution images of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) and White Oval BC are used to map flow fields within these two areas. The relative vorticity is computed as a function of semi-major axis length and position angle in a coordinate system consisting of concentric ellipses of equal eccentricity. Wind speeds of 110-120 m/s are observed near the outer edge of both features, and along their minor axes relative vorticity profiles reach a maximum of 0.00006/s. Maximum Rossby numbers of 0.36 are computed for flows within both features, and are found to be low, indicating geostrophic constraints on the flow. The difference in streamline curvature within the GRS and the Oval BC is found to compensate for the difference in planetary vorticity at the respective latitudes of the features. Finally, motions within the central region of the GRS are slower and more random than around the spot's outer portion.
Document ID
19820028843
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Mitchell, J. L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Garneau, G. W.
(California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA, United States)
Beebe, R. F.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Ingersoll, A. P.
(New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
September 30, 1981
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 86
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
82A12378
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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