using James Webb Space TelescopeScientists observed the area above the icon Big red spot to Jupiter And they b Discovery Of a variety of features never seen before.
The area, previously thought to be ordinary in nature, is home to a variety of complex structures and activities, according to a statement from the centre. Whichwhich works Webb telescope next to a pot And its Canadian counterpart (CSA) in Stady Subordinate Astronomical phenomena.
Jupiter It is one of the brightest objects in the night sky and is easily visible on a clear night. Aside from the bright northern and southern lights at the planet’s polar regions, the glow from Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is weak and therefore difficult for ground-based telescopes to discern details in this region. However, Webb’s infrared sensitivity allows scientists to study Jupiter’s upper atmosphere above the infamous Great Red Spot in unprecedented detail.
upper atmosphere Jupiter is the interface between the magnetic field of planet And the underlying atmosphere. Here you can see the bright, vibrant displays of the northern and southern lights, which are fed by volcanic material ejected from the moon. JupiterIo.
However, near the equator, the structure of the planet’s upper atmosphere is affected by incoming sunlight. Because Jupiter receives only 4% of the sunlight it receives on Earth, astronomers expected this region to be homogeneous in nature.
Great Red Spot Jupiter It was observed by Webb’s near-infrared spectrometer (NIRSpec) in July 2022, using the capabilities of the instrument’s Integrated Field Unit. The team’s early scientific launch observations sought to verify whether this region was indeed dim, and the region above the famous Great Red Spot was the target of the researchers’ observations. Web. The team was surprised explore The upper atmosphere hosts a variety of complex structures, including dark arcs and bright spots, throughout the field of view.
“We thought, perhaps naively, that this area would be really boring,” said team leader Henrik Melin from the University of Leicester in the UK.
“In fact, it’s as interesting as the northern lights, if not more so. Jupiter “Never cease to surprise.”
Although the light from this region is driven by sunlight, the team suggests that there must be another mechanism that changes the shape and structure of the upper atmosphere.
“One way this structure can be changed is through gravity waves, similar to waves that crash on a beach and create ripples in the sand,” Henrik explained. “These waves are generated deep in the turbulent lower atmosphere, around the Great Red Spot, and can travel upward, modifying the structure and emissions of the upper atmosphere.”
The team explains that these atmospheric waves can sometimes be observed on Earth, but they are much weaker than those observed on Earth. Jupiter for him Web. They also hope to provide follow-up feedback on Web From these complex wave patterns in the future to explore how the patterns move within the planet’s upper atmosphere and to develop our understanding of the energy budget in this region and how the properties change over time.
Video: Signs of water vapor on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
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