The Weather on Jupiter

• We see light and dark bands of clouds on the top layers of Jupiter.
• The patterns move.
• There is also the great red spot, with patterns rotating counterclockwise around it.

• Spectroscopic observations (analysis of light) + calculations tell us what the clouds are made of:
  • Ammonia (NH₃) crystals in top layer.
  • Ammonium hydrosulfide (NH₄SH) crystals in middle layer.
  • Water ice in lowest layer.
• The colors seem to be associated with temperature.
• White "zones" are higher and cooler.
• Dark "bands" are lower and warmer.
• But just what chemicals cause the colors is something of a mystery.

• Recall that Jupiter is hot inside.
• Hot gases rise.
• They cool.
• Cool gases fall.
• This happens on Earth too.

How can the motion be explained?

• Recall that on our planet weather patterns are influenced by the rotation of the Earth.
• Jupiter has a fast rotation rate.
• So we should see a bigger effect.
  
  Winds in Jupiter's northern hemisphere.
• It is the opposite in Jupiter's southern hemisphere.
  
  
• The Great Red Spot appears to be a high pressure area.