Atmospheric study finds surprises about our largest neighboring planet and its deep atmosphere.
Atmospheric study finds surprises about our largest neighboring planet and its deep atmosphere.
Spectacular clouds swirl across the surface of Jupiter. These clouds contain water, just like Earth’s, but are much denser on the gas giant—so thick that no spacecraft has been able to measure exactly what lies beneath.
But a new study led by University of Chicago and Jet Propulsion Lab scientists has given us a deeper look at the planet by creating the most complete model to date of Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Among other things, the analysis addresses a longstanding question about how much oxygen the gas giant contains: It estimates that Jupiter has about one and a half times more oxygen than the sun. This helps scientists narrow down the picture of how all the planets in the solar system formed.
Read More: University of Chicago
Image: Gigantic storms swirl across the surface of Jupiter. These storms have made it impossible to see what lies beneath—but a new simulation led by a UChicago scientist adds new depth to our understanding.Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS, Image processing by Kevin M. Gill, © CC BY
