Abstract
THE atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn are stably stratified in a region extending from the tropopause down to the level of the cloud tops; the underlying region is dominated by convective overturning1,2. Horizontal velocities within the stable region decrease with altitude3, suggesting that they are driven by momentum transfer from the deeper flow. But the vertical structure within the convective region is still poorly understood1. Its visible component at cloud level consists of alternating east-west zonal jets, with the more pronounced eastward jets attaining velocities in excess of 100 m s-1and widths of about 104 km (refs 2 and 3). Here we propose a mechanism whereby the zonal jets result from convection cells resembling atmospheric Hadley cells on the Earth4. We demonstrate this mechanism using a rotating axisymmetric bowl of fluid, uniformly cooled at the free surface; radially overturning convection cells are established, the surface manifestation of which are pronounced azimuthal jets. A simple linear theory reproduces the main characteristics of the laboratory flow and predicts a relatively shallow penetration depth for the convection cells on Jupiter and Saturn.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Gierasch, P. J. & Conrath, B. J. J. geophys. Res. 98, 5459–5469 (1993).
Flaser, F. M. Icarus 65, 280–303 (1986).
Gierasch, P. J., Conrath, B. J. & Magalhaes, J. A. Icarus 67, 456–483 (1986).
Held, I. M. & Hou, A. Y. J. atmos. Sci. 37, 515–533 (1980).
Read, P. L. Icarus 65, 304–334 (1986).
Read, P. L. & Hide, R. Nature 308, 45–48 (1984).
Sommeria, J., Meyers, S. D. & Swiney, H. L. Nature 331, 689–693 (1988).
Ingersoll, A. P. & Cuong, P. G. J. atmos. Sci. 38, 2067–2076 (1981).
Marcus, P. S. Nature 331, 693–696 (1988).
Williams, G. P. & Wilson, R. J. J. atmos. Sci. 45, 207–241 (1988).
Dowling, T. E. & Ingersoll, A. P. J. atmos. Sci. 46, 3256–3278 (1989).
Koschmieder, E. L. & Lewis, E. R. J. atmos. Sci. 43, 2514–2526 (1986).
Hathaway, D. H. & Fowlis, W. W. J. Fluid Mech. 172, 401–418 (1986).
Hart, J. E., Glatzmaier, G. A. & Toomre, J. J. Fluid Mech. 173, 519–544 (1986).
Pedlosky, J. Geophysical Fluid Dynamics (Springer, New York, 1987).
Condie, S. A. & Rhines, P. B. J. Fluid Mech. (submitted).
Schneider, E. K. J. atmos. Sci. 41, 1093–1115 (1984).
Busse, F. H. Icarus 29, 255–260 (1976).
Ingersoll, A. P. & Pollard, D. Icarus 52, 62–80 (1982).
Sun, Z-P., Schubert, G. & Glatzmaier, G. A. Science 260, 661–664 (1993).
Ingersoll, A. P. & Cuzzi, J. N. J. atmos. Sci. 26, 981–985 (1969).
Limaye, S. S. Icarus 65, 335–352 (1986).
Boubnov, B. M. & Golitsyn, G. S. J. Fluid Mech. 167, 503–531 (1986).
Chen, R., Fernando, H. J. S. & Boyer, D. L. J. geophys. Res. 94, 18445–18453 (1989).
Fernando, H. J. S., Chen, R. & Boyer, D. L. J. Fluid Mech. 228, 513–547 (1991).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Condie, S., Rhines, P. A convective model for the zonal jets in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. Nature 367, 711–713 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/367711a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/367711a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Cyclonic circulation of Saturn’s atmosphere due to tilted convection
Nature Geoscience (2018)
-
A laboratory model for deep-seated jets on the gas giants
Nature Physics (2017)