Clarifying the jets of Jupiter

2008/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronomia

In the large gas planets, atmospheric circulation is controlled by the currents of the gas jets.

At the end of March 2007 a jet of this type occurred in Jupiter, in which an international group, coordinated by Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, professor at the University of the Basque Country, made the most accurate images in history.

They observed the event with several telescopes and obtained images in infrared and visible light (in the image you can see a montage made with two types of images). The jet was formed after two brilliant storms and was very violent, calculating a speed of 600 kilometers per hour.

Previously, in 1975 and 1990, these gas jets were observed on two other occasions. Scientists have compared the three phenomena and have observed that the jets are periodic (occur every 15-17 years), in all cases there have been two storms before the jet and in all of them the speed of them.

They do not know why they have these characteristics or where they draw the energy needed to form the jets: The radiation coming from the Sun, whether it is a great inner energy of Jupiter or whether it is a combination of both. There is a great debate between planetary meteorologists and other scientists.