Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008
The nature and mechanisms producing the chromophore agents that provide color to the upper clouds and hazes of the atmospheres of the giant planets are largely unknown. In recent times, the changes in red coloration that have occurred in large- and medium-scale Jovian anticyclones have been particul...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2013
|
| _version_ | 1826273550923726848 |
|---|---|
| author | Sanchez-Lavega, A Legarreta, J Garcia-Melendo, E Hueso, R Perez-Hoyos, S Gomez-Forrellad, J Fletcher, L Orton, G Simon-Miller, A Chanover, N Irwin, P Tanga, P Cecconi, M |
| author_facet | Sanchez-Lavega, A Legarreta, J Garcia-Melendo, E Hueso, R Perez-Hoyos, S Gomez-Forrellad, J Fletcher, L Orton, G Simon-Miller, A Chanover, N Irwin, P Tanga, P Cecconi, M |
| author_sort | Sanchez-Lavega, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The nature and mechanisms producing the chromophore agents that provide color to the upper clouds and hazes of the atmospheres of the giant planets are largely unknown. In recent times, the changes in red coloration that have occurred in large- and medium-scale Jovian anticyclones have been particularly interesting. In late June and early July 2008, a particularly color intense tropical red oval interacted with the Great Red Spot (GRS) leading to the destruction of the tropical red oval and cloud dispersion. We present a detailed study of the tropical vortices, usually white but sometimes red, and a characterization of their color spectral signatures and dynamics. From the spectral reflectivity in methane bands we study their vertical cloud structure compared to that of the GRS and BA. Using two spectral indices we found a near correlation between anticyclones cloud top altitudes and red color. We present detailed observations of the interaction of the red oval with the GRS and model simulations of the phenomena that allow us to constrain the relative vertical extent of the vortices. We conclude that the vertical cloud structure, vertical extent, and dynamics of Jovian anticyclones are not the causes of their coloration. We propose that the red chromophore forms when background material (a compound or particles) is entrained by the vortex, transforming into red once inside the vortex due to internal conditions, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, or to the mixing of two chemical compounds that react inside the vortex, confined by a potential vorticity ring barrier. Key Points Anticyclones' red color is an absorption band from 350 to 500 nm Red color in anticyclones is nearly correlated with high cloud tops Red color in anticyclones is not related to their vorticity or vertical extent ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:29:54Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:57efab9a-5d49-47e2-8dc2-6dc731e7b74a |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T22:29:54Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:57efab9a-5d49-47e2-8dc2-6dc731e7b74a2022-03-26T16:59:52ZColors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:57efab9a-5d49-47e2-8dc2-6dc731e7b74aEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2013Sanchez-Lavega, ALegarreta, JGarcia-Melendo, EHueso, RPerez-Hoyos, SGomez-Forrellad, JFletcher, LOrton, GSimon-Miller, AChanover, NIrwin, PTanga, PCecconi, MThe nature and mechanisms producing the chromophore agents that provide color to the upper clouds and hazes of the atmospheres of the giant planets are largely unknown. In recent times, the changes in red coloration that have occurred in large- and medium-scale Jovian anticyclones have been particularly interesting. In late June and early July 2008, a particularly color intense tropical red oval interacted with the Great Red Spot (GRS) leading to the destruction of the tropical red oval and cloud dispersion. We present a detailed study of the tropical vortices, usually white but sometimes red, and a characterization of their color spectral signatures and dynamics. From the spectral reflectivity in methane bands we study their vertical cloud structure compared to that of the GRS and BA. Using two spectral indices we found a near correlation between anticyclones cloud top altitudes and red color. We present detailed observations of the interaction of the red oval with the GRS and model simulations of the phenomena that allow us to constrain the relative vertical extent of the vortices. We conclude that the vertical cloud structure, vertical extent, and dynamics of Jovian anticyclones are not the causes of their coloration. We propose that the red chromophore forms when background material (a compound or particles) is entrained by the vortex, transforming into red once inside the vortex due to internal conditions, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, or to the mixing of two chemical compounds that react inside the vortex, confined by a potential vorticity ring barrier. Key Points Anticyclones' red color is an absorption band from 350 to 500 nm Red color in anticyclones is nearly correlated with high cloud tops Red color in anticyclones is not related to their vorticity or vertical extent ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Sanchez-Lavega, A Legarreta, J Garcia-Melendo, E Hueso, R Perez-Hoyos, S Gomez-Forrellad, J Fletcher, L Orton, G Simon-Miller, A Chanover, N Irwin, P Tanga, P Cecconi, M Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008 |
| title | Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008 |
| title_full | Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008 |
| title_fullStr | Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008 |
| title_short | Colors of Jupiter's large anticyclones and the interaction of a Tropical Red Oval with the Great Red Spot in 2008 |
| title_sort | colors of jupiter s large anticyclones and the interaction of a tropical red oval with the great red spot in 2008 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sanchezlavegaa colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT legarretaj colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT garciamelendoe colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT huesor colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT perezhoyoss colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT gomezforrelladj colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT fletcherl colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT ortong colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT simonmillera colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT chanovern colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT irwinp colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT tangap colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 AT cecconim colorsofjupiterslargeanticyclonesandtheinteractionofatropicalredovalwiththegreatredspotin2008 |