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Detailed analysis of two continent-sized storms that erupted in Jupiter's
atmosphere in March 2007 shows that Jupiter's internal heat plays a
significant role in generating atmospheric disturbances. Understanding
these outbreaks could be the key to unlock the mysteries buried in the
deep Jovian atmosphere, say astronomers.
This infrared image shows two bright plume eruptions obtained by the NASA
Infrared Telescope Facility on April 5, 2007.
Understanding these phenomena is important for Earth's meteorology where
storms are present everywhere and jet streams dominate the atmospheric
circulation. Jupiter is a natural laboratory where atmospheric scientists
study the nature and interplay of the intense jets and severe atmospheric
phenomena.
According to the analysis, the bright plumes were storm systems triggered
in Jupiter's deep water clouds that moved upward in the atmosphere
vigorously and injected a fresh mixture of ammonia ice and water about 20
miles (30 kilometers) above the visible clouds. The storms moved in the
peak of a jet stream in Jupiter's atmosphere at 375 miles per hour (600
kilometers per hour). Models of the disturbance indicate that the jet
stream extends deep in the buried atmosphere of Jupiter, more than 60
miles (approximately100 kilometers) below the cloud tops where most
sunlight is absorbed.