1. The Thermal Structure and Composition of Jupiter's Great Red Spot From JWST/MIRI.
- Author
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Harkett, Jake, Fletcher, Leigh N., King, Oliver R. T., Roman, Michael T., Melin, Henrik, Hammel, Heidi B., Hueso, Ricardo, Sánchez‐Lavega, Agustín, Wong, Michael H., Milam, Stefanie N., Orton, Glenn S., de Kleer, Katherine, Irwin, Patrick G. J., de Pater, Imke, Fouchet, Thierry, Rodríguez‐Ovalle, Pablo, Fry, Patrick M., and Showalter, Mark R.
- Subjects
VERY large telescopes ,ATMOSPHERE of Jupiter ,THUNDERSTORMS ,TEMPERATURE distribution ,GAS distribution - Abstract
Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) was mapped by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)/Mid‐Infrared Instrument (4.9–27.9 μ ${\upmu }$m) in July and August 2022. These observations took place alongside a suite of visual and infrared observations from; Hubble, JWST/NIRCam, Very Large Telescope/VISIR and amateur observers which provided both spatial and temporal context across the jovian disc. The stratospheric temperature structure retrieved using the NEMESIS software revealed a series of hot‐spots above the GRS. These could be the consequence of GRS‐induced wave activity. In the troposphere, the temperature structure was used to derive the thermal wind structure of the GRS vortex. These winds were only consistent with the independently determined wind field by JWST/NIRCam at 240 mbar if the altitude of the Hubble‐derived winds were located around 1,200 mbar, considerably deeper than previously assumed. No enhancement in ammonia was found within the GRS but a link between elevated aerosol and phosphine abundances was observed within this region. North‐south asymmetries were observed in the retrieved temperature, ammonia, phosphine and aerosol structure, consistent with the GRS tilting in the north‐south direction. Finally, a small storm was captured north‐west of the GRS that displayed a considerable excess in retrieved phosphine abundance, suggestive of vigorous convection. Despite this, no ammonia ice was detected in this region. The novelty of JWST required us to develop custom‐made software to resolve challenges in calibration of the data. This involved the derivation of the "FLT‐5" wavelength calibration solution that has subsequently been integrated into the standard calibration pipeline. Plain Language Summary: Regularly observed for over 150 years, Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) is one of the best documented storms in the Solar System. Despite the frequency of observations, crucial questions remain unanswered regarding the internal composition, dynamics and driving mechanism for the storm. Mid‐infrared observations acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope allowed us to peer past the colorful clouds to assess the composition and dynamics of the jovian weather layer. Data from the mid‐infrared instrument was modeled in the 7.30–10.75 μ ${\upmu }$m range to "retrieve" the temperature distribution. Further modeling of these temperatures allowed us to derive the wind speeds throughout the vortex, enabling us to assess the dynamics of the GRS and how the vortex interacts with its surroundings. In addition, a series of hot‐spots were observed above the GRS that could be the result of atmospheric wave activity. The distribution of ammonia was also mapped in this spectral range. Comparison of the distribution of ammonia to the cloud distribution implied that this molecule may condense into the thick layers of cloud above the GRS. Finally phosphine, indicative of upwelling air was mapped and allowed us to identify a small convective storm north‐west of the GRS. Key Points: Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) was observed by James Webb Space Telescope/Mid‐Infrared Instrument in 2022 to study the 3D structure of temperature, aerosols and gaseous speciesA series of stratospheric hot‐spots were discovered to be co‐moving with the GRS in the longitude directionElevated phosphine and a complex distribution of ammonia gas were observed inside the GRS [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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