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New observations of the Nice Crimson Spot on Jupiter have revealed that the planet’s ambiance above and across the notorious storm is surprisingly fascinating and lively. This graphic exhibits the area noticed by Webb—first its location on a NIRCam picture of the entire planet (left), and the area itself (proper), imaged by Webb’s Close to-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec). The NIRSpec picture is stitched collectively from six NIRSpec Integral Subject Unit photographs taken in July 2022, every round 300 sq. km, and exhibits infrared mild emitted by hydrogen molecules in Jupiter’s ionosphere. These molecules lie over 300 km above the clouds of the storm, the place mild from the solar ionises the hydrogen and stimulates this infrared emission. On this picture, redder colors show the hydrogen emission from these excessive altitudes within the planet’s ionosphere. Bluer colors present infrared mild from decrease altitudes, together with cloud-tops within the ambiance and the very outstanding Nice Crimson Spot. Jupiter is distant from the solar and subsequently receives a uniform, low stage of daylight, which means that a lot of the planet’s floor is comparatively dim at these infrared wavelengths—particularly in comparison with the emission from molecules close to the poles, the place Jupiter’s magnetic discipline is particularly robust. Opposite to the researchers’ expectations that this space would subsequently look homogeneous in nature, it hosts a wide range of intricate constructions, together with darkish arcs and shiny spots, throughout all the discipline of view. Credit score: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, Jupiter ERS Group, J. Schmidt, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
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New observations of the Nice Crimson Spot on Jupiter have revealed that the planet’s ambiance above and across the notorious storm is surprisingly fascinating and lively. This graphic exhibits the area noticed by Webb—first its location on a NIRCam picture of the entire planet (left), and the area itself (proper), imaged by Webb’s Close to-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec). The NIRSpec picture is stitched collectively from six NIRSpec Integral Subject Unit photographs taken in July 2022, every round 300 sq. km, and exhibits infrared mild emitted by hydrogen molecules in Jupiter’s ionosphere. These molecules lie over 300 km above the clouds of the storm, the place mild from the solar ionises the hydrogen and stimulates this infrared emission. On this picture, redder colors show the hydrogen emission from these excessive altitudes within the planet’s ionosphere. Bluer colors present infrared mild from decrease altitudes, together with cloud-tops within the ambiance and the very outstanding Nice Crimson Spot. Jupiter is distant from the solar and subsequently receives a uniform, low stage of daylight, which means that a lot of the planet’s floor is comparatively dim at these infrared wavelengths—particularly in comparison with the emission from molecules close to the poles, the place Jupiter’s magnetic discipline is particularly robust. Opposite to the researchers’ expectations that this space would subsequently look homogeneous in nature, it hosts a wide range of intricate constructions, together with darkish arcs and shiny spots, throughout all the discipline of view. Credit score: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, Jupiter ERS Group, J. Schmidt, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
Utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Area Telescope, scientists noticed the area above Jupiter’s iconic Nice Crimson Spot to find a wide range of beforehand unseen options. The area, beforehand believed to be unremarkable in nature, hosts a wide range of intricate constructions and exercise.
Jupiter is without doubt one of the brightest objects within the evening sky, and it’s simply seen on a transparent evening. Except for the intense northern and southern lights on the planet’s polar areas, the glow from Jupiter’s higher ambiance is weak and is subsequently difficult for ground-based telescopes to discern particulars on this area. Nevertheless, Webb’s infrared sensitivity permits scientists to check Jupiter’s higher ambiance above the notorious Nice Crimson Spot with unprecedented element.
The higher ambiance of Jupiter is the interface between the planet’s magnetic discipline and the underlying ambiance. Right here, the intense and vibrant shows of northern and southern lights might be seen, that are fueled by the volcanic materials ejected from Jupiter’s moon Io.
Nevertheless, nearer to the equator, the construction of the planet’s higher ambiance is influenced by incoming daylight. As a result of Jupiter receives solely 4% of the daylight that’s acquired on Earth, astronomers predicted this area to be homogeneous in nature.
The Nice Crimson Spot of Jupiter was noticed by Webb’s Close to-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) in July 2022, utilizing the instrument’s Integral Subject Unit capabilities. The group’s Early Launch Science observations sought to research if this area was in truth boring, and the area above the enduring Nice Crimson Spot was focused for Webb’s observations.
The group was stunned to find that the higher ambiance hosts a wide range of intricate constructions, together with darkish arcs and shiny spots, throughout all the discipline of view. The outcomes have been printed in Nature Astronomy.
“We thought this area, maybe naively, could be actually boring,” shared group chief Henrik Melin of the College of Leicester in the UK. “It’s in truth simply as fascinating because the northern lights, if no more so. Jupiter by no means ceases to shock.”
Though the sunshine emitted from this area is pushed by daylight, the group suggests there have to be one other mechanism altering the form and construction of the higher ambiance.
New observations of the Nice Crimson Spot on Jupiter have revealed that the planet’s ambiance above and across the notorious storm is surprisingly fascinating and lively. This picture exhibits the area noticed by Webb’s Close to-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec). It’s stitched collectively from six NIRSpec Integral Subject Unit photographs taken in July 2022, every round 300 sq. km. The NIRSpec observations present infrared mild emitted by hydrogen molecules in Jupiter’s ionosphere. These molecules lie over 300 km above the clouds of the storm, the place mild from the solar ionises the hydrogen and stimulates this infrared emission. On this picture, redder colors show the hydrogen emission from these excessive altitudes within the planet’s ionosphere. Bluer colors present infrared mild from decrease altitudes, together with cloud-tops within the ambiance and the outstanding Nice Crimson Spot. Credit score: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb) CC BY 4.0 INT or ESA Customary Licence
× shut
New observations of the Nice Crimson Spot on Jupiter have revealed that the planet’s ambiance above and across the notorious storm is surprisingly fascinating and lively. This picture exhibits the area noticed by Webb’s Close to-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec). It’s stitched collectively from six NIRSpec Integral Subject Unit photographs taken in July 2022, every round 300 sq. km. The NIRSpec observations present infrared mild emitted by hydrogen molecules in Jupiter’s ionosphere. These molecules lie over 300 km above the clouds of the storm, the place mild from the solar ionises the hydrogen and stimulates this infrared emission. On this picture, redder colors show the hydrogen emission from these excessive altitudes within the planet’s ionosphere. Bluer colors present infrared mild from decrease altitudes, together with cloud-tops within the ambiance and the outstanding Nice Crimson Spot. Credit score: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb) CC BY 4.0 INT or ESA Customary Licence
“A technique in which you’ll change this construction is by gravity waves—just like waves crashing on a seaside, creating ripples within the sand,” defined Henrik. “These waves are generated deep within the turbulent decrease ambiance, throughout the Nice Crimson Spot, and so they can journey up in altitude, altering the construction and emissions of the higher ambiance.”
The group explains that these atmospheric waves might be noticed on Earth every now and then. Nevertheless, they’re much weaker than these noticed on Jupiter by Webb. In addition they hope to conduct follow-up Webb observations of those intricate wave patterns sooner or later to research how the patterns transfer throughout the planet’s higher ambiance and to develop our understanding of the power finances of this area and the way the options change over time.
Extra data:
Henrik Melin et al, Ionospheric irregularities at Jupiter noticed by JWST, Nature Astronomy (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02305-9
Journal data:
Nature Astronomy