Peter J. Gierasch

Infrared Observations of the Jovian System from Voyager 1

The infrared spectroscopy and radiometry investigation has obtained spectra of Jupiter and its satellites between approximately 180 and 2500 cm–1 with a spectral resolution of 4.3 cm–1. The Jupiter spectra show clear evidence of H2, CH4 C2H2, C2H6, CH3D, NH3, PH3, H2O, and GeH4. A helium concentration of 0.11 � 0.03 by volume is obtained. Meridional temperature cross sections show considerable structure. At high latitudes, the stratosphere is warmer in the north than in the south. The upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are locally cold over the Great Red Spot. Amalthea is warmer than expected. Considerable thermal structure is observed on Io, including a relatively hot region in the vicinity of a volcanic feature.

Dust devils on Mars.

Columnar, cone-shaped, and funnel-shaped clouds rising 1 to 6 kilometers above the surface of Mars have been identified in Viking Orbiter images. They are interpreted as dust devils, confirming predictions of their occurrence on Mars and giving evidence of a specific form of dust entrainment.

Meridional Circulation and the Maintenance of the Venus Atmospheric Rotation

Abstract A meridional cell, with rising motion near the equator and sinking near the poles, transports angular momentum upward in an atmosphere whenever equatorial regions of the atmosphere have an angular momentum surplus relative to polar regions. This process way contribute to the maintenance of the Venus atmospheric super-rotation. Super-rotation by this process is exhibited in a simple analytical model. The super-rotation ratio in the model is derived to be exp (HD2/vvm), where H is depth in scale heights, D the mean scale height, vv the vertical eddy diffusivity, and tm the meridional overturning time. For the mechanism to work, some eddy process must maintain an angular momentum surplus in equatorial regions. Vorticity mixing is suggested. It is also demonstrated that if the Richardson number is large in a cyclostrophic atmosphere, the mean thermal structure is given by global radiative equilibrium, and local deviations from equilibrium are balanced by adiabatic cooling or warming associated with v...

Infrared Observations of the Saturnian System from Voyager 2

During the passage of Voyager 2 through the Saturn system, infrared spectral and radiometric data were obtained for Saturn, Titan, Enceladus, Tethys, Iapetus, and the rings. Combined Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 observations of temperatures in the upper troposphere of Saturn indicate a seasonal asymmetry between the northern and southern hemispheres, with superposed small-scale meridional gradients. Comparison of high spatial resolution data from the two hemispheres poleward of 60� latitude suggests an approximate symmetry in the small-scale structure, consistent with the extension of a symmetric system of zonal jets into the polar regions. Longitudinal variations of 1 to 2 K are observed. Disk- averaged infrared spectra of Titan show little change over the 9-month interval between Voyager encounters. By combining Voyager 2 temperature measurements with ground-based geometric albedo determinations, phase integrals of 0.91 � 0.13 and 0.89 � 0.09 were derived for Tethys and Enceladus, respectively. The subsolar point temperature of dark material on Iapetus must exceed 110 K. Temperatures (and infrared optical depths) for the A and C rings and for the Cassini division are 69 � 1 K (0.40 � 0.05), 85 � 1 K (0.10 � 0.03), and 85 � 2 K (0.07 � 0.04), respectively.

Zonal mean properties of Jupiter's upper troposphere from voyager infrared observations

Abstract The highest spatial resolution Voyager IRIS spectra are used to produce zonal averages of the temperature at the 150- and 270-mb pressure levels, of the para-hydrogen fraction at 270 mb, of the ammonia abundance near the 680-mb level, and of two infrared cloud optical depths, one near 5 μm and one near 45 μm wavelength. There are two cloud components, one uniformly distributed and only apparent at 5 μm, and another that correlates strongly with the ammonia abundance and that is apparent at both 5 and 45 μm. From the ratio of optical depths at the two wavelengths, the particles in the variable cloud are between 3 and 10 μm in radius. This cloud is located near the ammonia condensation level. The other particles are either smaller or deeper. The cloud and ammonia distribution is consistent with concentration by upward vertical motion at the equatorward edges of prograde atmospheric jets. The temperature field is also consistent with such vertical motion, with radiative heating balancing adiabatic expansional cooling. The para-hydrogen distribution also appears consistent, but noise levels are high. The thermal wind shear indicates decay of the jets with height within the upper troposphere, with a vertical scale of two or three scale heights. The entire set of upper troposphere data is consistent with a simple axisymmetric dynamical model with Coriolis acceleration of the zonal wind balanced by a linear drag. The meridional residual mean circulation in the model, if interpreted also as a Lagrangian mean circulation, would explain nicely the distribution of ammonia and para-hydrogen. The circulation is a response to a deeper tropospheric flow of unknown origin. However, the horizontal scale of jets is on the order of the deformation radius based on a scale height at the base of the upper troposphere. It is conjectured that the physics of the flow may require this to be true, and may also require that the relative vorticity gradient be of the same order as the planetary vorticity gradient, thereby fixing both the dimensions and amplitudes of the jets.

Climatic change on Mars.

The equatorial sinuous channels on Mars detected by Mariner 9 point to a past epoch of higher pressures and abundant liquid water. Advective instability of the martian atmosphere permits two stable climates—one close to present conditions, the other at a pressure of the order of 1 bar depending on the quantity of buried volatiles. Variations in the obliquity of Mars, the luminosity of the sun, and the albedo of the polar caps each appear capable of driving the instability between a current ice age and more clement conditions. Obliquity driving alone implies that epochs of much higher and of much lower pressure must have characterized martian history. Climatic change on Mars may have important meteorological, geological, and biological implications.

Observation of moist convection in Jupiter's atmosphere

The energy source driving Jupiters active meteorology is not understood. There are two main candidates: a poorly understood internal heat source and sunlight. Here we report observations of an active storm system possessing both lightning and condensation of water. The storm has a vertical extent of at least 50 km and a length of about 4,000 km. Previous observations of lightning on Jupiter have revealed both its frequency of occurrence and its spatial distribution, but they did not permit analysis of the detailed cloud structure and its dynamics. The present observations reveal the storm (on the day side of the planet) at the same location and within just a few hours of a lightning detection (on the night side). We estimate that the total vertical transport of heat by storms like the one observed here is of the same order as the planets internal heat source. We therefore conclude that moist convection—similar to large clusters of thunderstorm cells on the Earth—is a dominant factor in converting heat flow into kinetic energy in the jovian atmosphere.

Galileo's First Images of Jupiter and the Galilean Satellites

The first images of Jupiter, Io, Europa, and Ganymede from the Galileo spacecraft reveal new information about Jupiters Great Red Spot (GRS) and the surfaces of the Galilean satellites. Features similar to clusters of thunderstorms were found in the GRS. Nearby wave structures suggest that the GRS may be a shallow atmospheric feature. Changes in surface color and plume distribution indicate differences in resurfacing processes near hot spots on Io. Patchy emissions were seen while Io was in eclipse by Jupiter. The outer margins of prominent linear markings (triple bands) on Europa are diffuse, suggesting that material has been vented from fractures. Numerous small circular craters indicate localized areas of relatively old surface. Pervasive brittle deformation of an ice layer appears to have formed grooves on Ganymede. Dark terrain unexpectedly shows distinctive albedo variations to the limit of resolution.

Moist convection as an energy source for the large-scale motions in Jupiter's atmosphere

Jupiters dominant large-scale weather patterns (dimensions ∼10,000 km) are zonal jets and long-lived ovals. The jets have been flowing east and west at constant speeds of up to 180 m s-1 for over 100 years. These jets receive energy from small-scale eddies, which pump eastward momentum into the eastward jets and westward momentum into the westward jets. This momentum transfer was predicted by numerical models before it was observed on Jupiter. The large ovals roll between the jets in an anticyclonic direction—clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere—where they regularly assimilate small anticyclonic eddies. But from where the eddies receive their energy has been an open question. Here we argue that the eddies, which ultimately drive both the jets and the ovals, receive their energy from moist convection. This hypothesis is consistent with observations of jovian lightning, which is an indicator of moist convection. It also explains the anticyclonic rotation and poleward drift of the eddies, and suggests patterns of upwelling and downwelling that resemble the patterns of large-scale axisymmetric overturning in the Earths atmosphere.

Temperature and circulation in the stratosphere of the outer planets

Abstract A zonally symmetric, linear radiative-dynamical model is compared with observations of the upper tropospheres and stratospheres of the outer planets. Seasonal variation is included in the model. Friction is parameterized by linear drag (Rayleigh friction). Gas opacities are accounted for but aerosols are omitted. Horizontal temperature gradients are small on all the planets. Seasonal effects are strongest on Saturn and Neptune but are weak even in these cases, because the latitudinal gradient of radiative heating is weak Seasonal effects on Uranus are extremely weak because the radiative time constant is longer than the orbital period. The one free parameter in the model is the frictional time constant. Within the context of this simple model, comparison with observed temperature perturbations over zonal currents in the troposphere shows that the frictional time constant is on the same order as the radiative time constant for all these planets. Finally, vertical motions predicted by the model are extremely weak. They are much smaller than one scale height per orbital period, except in the immediate neighborhood of tropospheric zonal currents.