 | Atmosphere dynamics. |
 The structure of the atmosphere"The visible surface of Jupiter's cloud has been studied in detail. Amateurs have tracked the motions of the clouds, and professional astronomers and chemists from observations at non-visible wavelengths have deduced their physical nature. But what happens under the clouds is still a matter for theory and speculation.
The planet's atmosphere - indeed, the whole planet - consists mainly of hydrogen and helium. The atmosphere also contains substantial amounts of ammonia and methane, as well as water, simple hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, phosphine, and other gases. The nature of the clouds has been deduced from spectroscopic and occultation measurements, which indicate the temperature, pressure and chemistry and chemistry of the atmosphere at different levels. The famous orange Great Red Sot and some other regions are the highest; it is still not known what produces this colour. The next highest clouds are those of the white zones and white spots; the whiteness of these cloud, and the temperature and pressure at which they occur, imply that they must be made of ammonia ice crystals. Brown belts and spots are lower; these clouds are probably made mainly of ammonium hydrosulphide. The deepest visible levels are the dark bluish-grey patches near the equator. At these levels, which are the warmest as well as the deepest observed, there may be extensive water clouds not unlike those on Earth. Of course, the other gases present are utterly unlike those we breathe, and could not support life as we know it; but the3 jovian gases may be able to undergo chemical reactions analogous, in some ways, to those which produced life on Earth."  |
Jupiter, the giant planet.