Nature Communications (Nov 2016)

An enduring rapidly moving storm as a guide to Saturn’s Equatorial jet’s complex structure

  • A. Sánchez-Lavega,
  • E. García-Melendo,
  • S. Pérez-Hoyos,
  • R. Hueso,
  • M. H. Wong,
  • A. Simon,
  • J. F. Sanz-Requena,
  • A. Antuñano,
  • N. Barrado-Izagirre,
  • I. Garate-Lopez,
  • J. F. Rojas,
  • T. del Río-Gaztelurrutia,
  • J. M. Gómez-Forrellad,
  • I. de Pater,
  • L. Li,
  • T. Barry

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13262
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

Read online

The origin, variability, and structure of Saturn’s intense and broad eastward equatorial jet at upper cloud level are complex and unexplained. Here, based on observations of a large, bright equatorial disturbance in 2015, the authors characterise the vertical structure of the jet and its long-term variability.