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Conference 7.286::space

Title:Space Exploration
Notice:Shuttle launch schedules, see Note 6
Moderator:PRAGMA::GRIFFIN
Created:Mon Feb 17 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:974
Total number of notes:18843

593.0. " Jupiter's Surface Transitions" by STRATA::POOLE () Tue Jan 23 1990 03:14

     I recently saw a news report about Jupiter.  The report was about
    the colored bands in the northern and southern hemispheres.  Appar-
    antly the southern band has lost its color and is similar to the
    rest of the planet.  The northern band has a large circular white
    spot that is reportively increasing in size.  Nothing was said of
    the red spot or any ideas of what is happening on the planets surface.
    I haven't heard anything since the original report and was wondering
    if anyone has heard about this or has an update on more information.
    
                                                     Scott P.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
593.1We're having a lot of weather here as well...REPAIR::RICKETTSHave you tried kicking it?Tue Jan 23 1990 09:0144
      I saw the following note in the Meteorology conference. I don't
    know how much sunspots might affect Jupiter, but they definitely
    affect the earth's weather. Jupiter is a lot further away from the
    sun, but it has a more powerful magnetic field to sweep up the charged
    particles emitted by sunspots, so the effects might be just as great,
    if not greater. If sunspots are affecting Jupiter, perhaps
    the main agency is charged particles heating the upper atmosphere,
    mainly towards the poles. Jupiter only receives about 1/20th
    the amount of solar radiation per unit area as does the earth, being
    more than 4 times as far away, and has a much thicker atmosphere
    in which to absorb it. Short term variations in the sun's radiation
    output should therefore make little difference to the Jovian
    atmosphere. Charged particles, however, moving more slowly as they
    get further from the sun, and attracted from a long way off by a much 
    more powerful magnetic field, might produce considerable local heating. 
      I believe aurorae have been observed on Jupiter in the past, though 
    I'm not sure if this was from the Voyagers or by earth-based telescopes.
    Anyone know any more, particularly whether or not unusual auroral
    displays have been observed on Jupiter of late?
    
    Ken
    
                   <<< LDP::DJA1:[NOTES$LIBRARY]METEOROLOGY.NOTE;1 >>>
                          -< Meteorology Conference >-
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Note 125.4              December, 1989 - A record breaker                4 of 10
HPSRAD::DZEKEVICH                                    14 lines  15-DEC-1989 08:37
                                 -< Sun spots >-
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    Well, the Earth's atmosphere is expanded, thus creating more drag on
    low orbiting satellites - that why Solar Max just burned-up.  I would
    think that an expanded atmosphere would have some effect on the jet
    streams - the 7 major belts on planet Earth.
    
    I did watch a NOVA on PBS, and they said that droughts happen every 21
    years or so in the U.S. plains - every other sun spot cycle.
    
    Joe
    
    p.s. Jupiter is also having belt problems during this peak.  The
    Southern central belt (a Jupiter jetstream) has faded and the Great Red
    Spot near the other belt has moved)......something's going on.
593.2See also ASTRONOMYWRKSYS::KLAESN = R*fgfpneflfifaLTue Jan 23 1990 12:377
    	Jupiter's changing appearance is also being discussed in the
    LDPSCI::ASTRONOMY Conference.
    
    	Press the KP7 or SELECT key to add ASTRONOMY to your Notebook.
    
    	Larry
593.3Planet AtmospheresHPSRAD::DZEKEVICHTue Jan 23 1990 15:4916
    Just an adder for those who want to read here and not start a new
    conference......it looks like the Red Spot on Jupiter has reversed,
    according to S&T magazine.  What's happening now seems to be:
    
     - Southern Eq. belt on Jupiter has faded - probably sunk deeper into
       the atmosphere
     - The Northern belts of Saturn have faded
     - The atmosphere of Uranus has turned darker - like getting a sun tan
     - The standing wave pattern of the jetstreams on Earth have shifted
       a little bit.
    
    Twice in the past, the central belt(s) of Jupiter have faded and then
    returned.
    
    Joe