Figure 1. A composite color infrared image of Jupiter reveals haze
particles over a range of altitudes, as seen in reflected sunlight. The
image was taken using the Gemini North telescope with the Near-InfraRed
Imager (NIRI) on May 18, 2017, one day before the Juno mission’s sixth
close passage (“perijove”) of the planet. The color filters cover
wavelengths between 1.69 to 2.275 microns and are sensitive to pressures
of 10 millibars to 2 bars. The Great Red Spot (GRS) appears as the
brightest (white) region at these wavelengths, which are primarily
sensitive to high-altitude clouds and hazes near and above the top of
Jupiter’s convective region – revealing that the GRS is one of the
highest-altitude features in Jupiter’s atmosphere. The features that
appear yellow/orange at Jupiter’s poles arise from the reflection of
sunlight from high-altitude hazes that are the products of
auroral-related chemistry in the planet’s upper stratosphere.
Narrow spiral streaks that appear to lead into it or out of it from surrounding regions probably represent atmospheric features being stretched by the intense winds within the GRS, such as the hook-like structure on its western edge (left side). Some are being swept off its eastern edge (right side) and into an extensive wave-like flow pattern; and there is even a trace of flow from its north. Other features near the GRS include the dark block and dark oval to the south and the north of the eastern flow pattern, respectively, indicating a lower density of cloud and haze particles in those locations. Both are long-lived cyclonic circulations, rotating clockwise - in the opposite direction as the counterclockwise rotation of the GRS. A prominent wave pattern is evident north of the equator, along with two bright ovals; these are anticyclones that appeared in January. Both the wave pattern and the ovals may be associated with an impressive upsurge in stormy activity that has been observed in these latitudes this year. Another bright anticyclonic oval is seen further north. Juno may pass over these ovals during its July 11 closest approach. High hazes are evident over both polar regions with much spatial structure that has never been seen quite so clearly in ground-based images, with substantial variability in their spatial structure. The central wavelengths and colors assigned to the filters are:1.69 microns (blue), 2.045 microns (cyan), 2.169 microns (green), 2.124 microns (yellow), and 2.275 microns (red). Credit: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF/JPL-Caltech/NASA. Full resolution JPEG | TIFF
Narrow spiral streaks that appear to lead into it or out of it from surrounding regions probably represent atmospheric features being stretched by the intense winds within the GRS, such as the hook-like structure on its western edge (left side). Some are being swept off its eastern edge (right side) and into an extensive wave-like flow pattern; and there is even a trace of flow from its north. Other features near the GRS include the dark block and dark oval to the south and the north of the eastern flow pattern, respectively, indicating a lower density of cloud and haze particles in those locations. Both are long-lived cyclonic circulations, rotating clockwise - in the opposite direction as the counterclockwise rotation of the GRS. A prominent wave pattern is evident north of the equator, along with two bright ovals; these are anticyclones that appeared in January. Both the wave pattern and the ovals may be associated with an impressive upsurge in stormy activity that has been observed in these latitudes this year. Another bright anticyclonic oval is seen further north. Juno may pass over these ovals during its July 11 closest approach. High hazes are evident over both polar regions with much spatial structure that has never been seen quite so clearly in ground-based images, with substantial variability in their spatial structure. The central wavelengths and colors assigned to the filters are:1.69 microns (blue), 2.045 microns (cyan), 2.169 microns (green), 2.124 microns (yellow), and 2.275 microns (red). Credit: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF/JPL-Caltech/NASA. Full resolution JPEG | TIFF
Figure 2. Close up images of the Great Red Spot from Gemini
Near-InfraRed Imager (NIRI) images showing differences in the interior
structure of this giant vortex with altitude. The top image was taken
with a filter at 2.275 microns that is sensitive to particles at, and
above, pressures of about 10 millibars (about 1% of the pressure at sea
level on the Earth) in Jupiter’s lower stratosphere. It shows that
particles at this level tend to increase toward the center of this
gigantic vortex. The middle image was taken with a filter at 1.58
microns, sensitive to virtually no gaseous absorption, and is sensitive
to the brightness of clouds, very similar to visible red light. Subtle
oval-shaped banded structure going from the outside to the interior can
be spotted in the image. The difference between these two images
illustrates major differences in the dynamics of this vortex with
altitude. The bottom image was taken with a filter at 4.68 microns, and
shows bright thermal emission from the deeper atmosphere wherever there
is “clear sky” (low cloud opacity in the 0.5-3 bar range). Top two
panels show data from May 18, 2017, while the bottom panel shows data
from January 11, 2017.
Credit: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF/JPL-Caltech/NASA/UC Berkeley.
Image in JPEG
Figure 3. At longer infrared wavelengths, Jupiter glows with thermal
(heat) emission. In dark areas of this 4.8-micron image, thick clouds
block the emission from the deeper atmosphere. The Great Red Spot is
visible just below center. This image, obtained with the Gemini North
telescope’s Near-InfraRed Imager (NIRI), was obtained on January 11,
2017, so the relative positions of discrete features have changed with
respect to the near-infrared image in Figure 1. Credit: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF/UC Berkeley. Full resolution JPEG
Very detailed Gemini Observatory images peel back Jupiter’s atmospheric
layers to support the NASA/JPL Juno spacecraft in its quest to
understand the giant planet’s atmosphere.
High-resolution imaging of Jupiter by the Gemini North telescope on
Maunakea is informing the Juno mission of compelling events in Jupiter’s
atmosphere. “The Gemini observations, spanning most of the first half
of this year, have already revealed a treasure-trove of fascinating
events in Jupiter’s atmosphere,” said Glenn Orton, PI for this Gemini
adaptive optics investigation and coordinator for Earth-based
observations supporting the Juno project at Caltech’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory.
“Back in May, Gemini zoomed in on intriguing features in and around
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot: including a swirling structure on the inside
of the spot, a curious hook-like cloud feature on its western side and a
lengthy, fine-structured wave extending off from its eastern side,”
adds Orton. “Events like this show that there’s still much to learn
about Jupiter’s atmosphere – the combination of Earth-based and
spacecraft observations is a powerful one-two punch in exploring
Jupiter.”
Juno has now made five close-up passes of Jupiter’s atmosphere, the
first of which was on August 27, 2016, and the latest (the sixth) on May
19th of this year. Each of these close passes has provided Juno’s
science team with surprises, and the Juno science return has benefited
from a coordinated campaign of Earth-based support – including
observations from spacecraft orbiting the Earth (covering X-ray through
visible wavelengths) and ground-based observatories (covering
near-infrared through radio wavelengths).
Next up: Juno’s close passages to Jupiter on July 11, 2017. “Gemini
observations, which are already underway for the July flyby, are helping
to guide our plans for this passage,” said Orton. He adds that the
types of light Gemini captures provide a powerful glimpse into the
layers of Jupiter’s atmosphere and provides a 3-dimensional view into
Jupiter’s clouds. Among the questions Juno is investigating include
poorly understood planetary-scale atmospheric waves south of the
equator. “We aren’t sure if these waves might be seen at higher
latitudes,” said Orton. “If so it might help us understand phenomena in
Jupiter’s circulation that are quite puzzling.”
“Wow – more remarkable images from the adaptive optics system at
Gemini!” said Chris Davis, Program Officer for Gemini at the National
Science Foundation (NSF), one of five agencies that operate the
observatory. “It’s great to see this powerful combination of ground and
space-based observations, and the two agencies, NSF and NASA, working
together on such scientifically important discoveries.”
The Gemini observations use special filters that focus on specific
colors of light that can penetrate the upper atmosphere and clouds of
Jupiter. These images are sensitive to increasing absorption by mixtures
of methane and hydrogen gas in Jupiter’s atmosphere. “The Gemini images
provide vertical sensitivity from Jupiter’s cloud tops up to the
planet’s lower stratosphere,” according to Orton.
The observations also employ adaptive optics technology to significantly
remove distortions due to the turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere and
produce these extremely high-resolution images. Specifically, the detail
visible in these images of Jupiter is comparable to being able to see a
feature about the size of Ireland from Jupiter’s current distance of
about 600 million kilometers (365 million miles) from Earth.
In addition to images using adaptive-optics technology, a parallel
Gemini program headed by Michael Wong of the University of California,
Berkeley, used a longer-wavelength filter, for which adaptive optics is
not needed. To obtain these data several images were made with short
exposures, and the sharpest images were combined in processing - an
approach commonly called “lucky imaging.” Images obtained with this
filter are mainly sensitive to cloud opacity (blocks light) in the
pressure range of 0.5 to 3 atmospheres. “These observations trace
vertical flows that cannot be measured any other way, illuminating the
weather, climate and general circulation in Jupiter’s atmosphere,” notes
Wong. This image is shown in Figure 3.
Subaru Telescope also supplied simultaneous mid-infrared imaging with
its COMICS instrument – measuring the planet’s heat output in a spectral
region not covered by Juno’s instrumentation, and producing data on
composition and cloud structure that complement both the Juno and Gemini
observations. For example, they show a very cold interior to the Great
Red Spot that is surrounded by a warm region at its periphery, implying
upwelling air in the center that is surrounded by subsidence. They also
show a very turbulent region to the northwest of the Great Red Spot. The
Subaru image is available at: http://subarutelescope.org/Topics/2017/06/30/index.html.
The NASA Juno spacecraft was launched in August 2011 and began orbiting
Jupiter in early July 2016. A primary goal of the mission is to improve
our understanding of Jupiter – from its atmospheric properties to our
understanding of how Jupiter and other planets in the outer Solar System
formed. Juno’s payload of nine instruments can probe the atmospheric
composition, temperature, cloud dynamics as well as the properties of
Jupiter’s intense magnetic fields and aurora.
Gemini’s near-infrared images are particularly helpful to Juno’s Jupiter
Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM). JIRAM takes images at 3.5 and 4.8
microns and moderate-resolution spectra at 2–5 microns. The Gemini
images provide a high-resolution spatial context for JIRAM’s
spectroscopic observations and cover wavelengths and regions of the
planet not observed by JIRAM. They also place an upper-atmospheric
constraint on Jupiter’s circulation in the deep atmosphere determined by
Juno’s Microwave Radiometer (MWR) experiment.
Orton leads the observing team for the adaptive-optics imaging and Wong
heads the observing team for the thermal imaging. Additional team
members include Andrew Stephens (Gemini Observatory); Thomas Momary,
James Sinclair (JPL); Kevin Baines (JPL, University of Wisconsin),
Michael Wong, Imke de Pater (University of California, Berkeley);
Patrick Irwin (University of Oxford); Leigh Fletcher (University of
Leicester); Gordon Bjoraker (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center); and John
Rogers (British Astronomical Association).
In the full campaign of Earth-based support, the Gemini observations
provide a key element that extends the spectral coverage of other
facilities, as well as providing a strategic sampling to compare with
the lower-resolution but more frequent imaging by NASA’s Infrared
Telescope Facility (IRTF) that tracks the evolution of atmospheric
features. These Gemini data are also a useful measure of cloud
properties to compare with mid-infrared thermal imaging and spectroscopy
of Jupiter’s atmosphere, such as that provided by Subaru’s COMICS
experiment. The space platforms are involved in the Juno-support
campaign include the XMM, Chandra and NuSTAR X-ray observatories and the
Hisaki ultraviolet observatory, together with the Hubble Space
Telescope. The many ground-based observatories include the Very Large
Telescope (VLT), the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), Calar Alto
Observatory, and a suite of visible and radio observatories. Full
details of the campaign can be found on:
https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/planned-observations.
Science Contacts:
-
Glenn Orton
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
California Institute of Technology
Email: glenn.orton@jpl.nasa.gov
Phone: 818 354-2460 -
Michael H. Wong
University of California, Berkeley CA
Email: mikewong@astro.berkeley.edu
Cell: 510 224-3411
Media Contacts:
-
Peter Michaud
Public Information and Outreach Manager
Gemini Observatory
Hilo, Hawai‘i
Email: pmichaud@gemini.edu
Desk: 808 974-2510
Cell: 808 936-6643 -
DC Agle / Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Email: agle@jpl.nasa.gov / guy.w.webster@jpl.nasa.gov
Phone: 818 393-9011 / 818 354-6278 -
Dwayne Brown / Laurie Cantillo
NASA Headquarters, Washington
Email: dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov / laura.l.cantillo@nasa.gov
Phone: 202 358-1726 / 202 358-1077 -
Robert Sanders
Media Relations
University of California, Berkeley CA
Email: rlsanders@berkeley.edu
Phone: 510 643-6998
Source: Gemini Observatory