By combining observations fromNASA ’s Cassini spacecraftwith science laboratory experiment , stargazer are saying that Jupiter ’s Great Red Spot is essentially a sunburn : That ruddy color is a product of simple chemicals being broken aside by sunlight in the planet ’s upper ambiance .
As wide as two globe , the noted spot is a long - lived , cyclone - like feature of Jupiter ’s atmospheric state . Three primary swarm layer interest specific altitudes in Jupiter ’s skies : from gamy to low , they ’re ammonia , ammonium hydrosulfide , and piddle clouds . One of the go theories for the smear ’s dramatic color argues that reddish chemicals are coming from beneath all of those cloud . According to that possibility , the Great Red Spot is more of a blush , rather than a sunburn .
A team led byKevin Baines of NASA ’s Jet Propulsion Laboratoryset out to determine if the point ’s color might derive from the sun - induced equipment failure of ammonium hydrosulfide ( the middle swarm layer ) , but they quickly discovered that rather of a red color , the mathematical product of their research laboratory experiment had a brilliant specter of green .
So , the team decided to shell ammonia water ( the top cloud layer ) and alkyne gases — vernacular hydrocarbon of Jupiter ’s gamey altitudes — with ultraviolet light source . This simulates the sun ’s effects at extreme cloud heights in the Great Red Spot . The result was a ruddy material , which the squad then compared to observance by Cassini ’s Visible and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer ( VIMS ) during its December 2000 Jupiter flyby . The light - spread out properties of their crimson lab confection fit nicely with a model of the spot where the violent - colored material is confined to the uppermost reaches .
" Our models propose most of the Great Red Spot is really reasonably flavourless in color , beneath the upper swarm layer of red material , " Baines says in anews release . " Under the reddish ' sunburn ' the cloud are probably milklike or grayish . "
have the color agent confine to the top of the cloud contradicts the leading theory , which says the red colour is due to upwelling chemicals formed deep beneath the visible cloud layers . If reddened material were being transported from below , it should be present at other altitudes as well , they say , which would make the red dapple redder still .
harmonise to the team , EL explains why intense Bolshevik is only see in the vibrant spot ( and perchance a few other smaller spots ) . " The Great Red Spot is exceedingly tall,“Baines says . " It reaches much high altitudes than clouds elsewhere on Jupiter . " The spot ’s bang-up elevation enables ( and enhances ) the redden : Its winds transport ammonia glass particles high into the atmospheric state where they ’re exposed to much more of the sun ’s ultraviolet visible radiation . And the spot ’s vortex nature prevents particles from run its cloud tops . The oranges and browns are thanks to tenuous , high clouds where we get to see into the depths of the air where more colored substances live .
The work was show at the American Astronomical Society’sDivision for Planetary Science meetingin Tucson this week .
