Cyclones Over Jupiter’s Poles

Fig. 1. Symmetric cyclones above Jupiter’s South Pole (credit NASA / SWRI / JPL / ASI / INAF / IAPS)

Four articles based on NASA Juno data have been published in the March 8 Issue of the journal Nature. The first, (Figure 1) focuses on a JIRAM (Infrared) image showing five symmetric cyclones around a central one at the South pole of Jupiter. The area covered corresponds to previous polar images with the visible-light JuncoCam in which the polar regions were blue. The JIRAM image is essentially a mosaic of many images of warm air circulating above the south polar ocean. Similar images of the north pole show eight such cyclones.

Although the origin of the multiple zonal flows cannot be explained in the currently accepted ‘gas giant’ hypothesis without resorting to shallow-water simulations (which require a solid surface below), the authors suggest that low latitude random, turbulent flows produce the familiar, continuous, multiple zonal wind bands which extend between +/- 70 degrees latitude and that these then somehow transition to become the circum-polar cyclones. However, they add the caveat: “The manner in which the cyclones persist without merging and the process by which they evolve to their current configurations are unknown.”

Cyclic Catastrophism

Cyclic catastrophism explains that the vertical motion of the cyclones is due to the continual heating of the polar regions by ~10²⁷ helions/sec, (³He⁺⁺) with energies of 4.98 MeV, which also produce the auroral ovals and melt the Methane Gas Hydrate surface, producing the polar oceans. The synchronized rotations of the five symmetrical cyclones are driven by the angular momentum of the zones and belts of high density particles which circulate between latitudes of +/- 70 degrees, the ultimate power of which is the continuous fusion reaction located at 22 ° South Latitude.

Non-zero Odd Gravity Harmonics

The other three papers in this issue of Nature attempt to explain why the Juno gravity data shows non-zero odd gravitational harmonics J3, J5, J7 and J9. These imply that the mass of Jupiter from pole to pole deviates at a number of latitudes from the shape of a gaseous planet. Because these deviations appear similar to the variations in the longitudinal wind bands, the authors claim that the atmospheric flows are sufficiently dense to cause the gravitational varitations with Latitude. Therefore they are 3,000 km deep and contain 1% of the mass of Jupiter.

Another paper in this group states: “We find that the deep interior of the planet rotates nearly as a rigid body, with differential rotation decreasing by at least an order of magnitude compared to the atmosphere. … This depth corresponds to the point at which the electric conductivity becomes large and magnetic drag should suppress differential rotation.” This is the old ‘gas giant’ idea of a hydrogen/helium interior that is so compressed that the hydrogen becomes conductive and electric currents within it form a dynamo, thereby producing Jupiter’s magnetic field in its interior. However, this conductive hydrogen would be governed by hydrostatic pressure increasing the density with depth, which is this is not consistent with the measured gravity of the deep interior.

Cyclic Catastrophism

Cyclic Catastrophism addresses the global odd gravitation harmonics completely differently. As explained in a previous post, the on-going fusion reaction is continuously releasing heavy elements distributed homogeneously throughout Jupiter, which form particulate aerosols in the hot rising vortex and are invisibly sprayed out of the Great Red Spot, forming form the visible, colored clouds which extend over the mid-latitudes.

These dust clouds settle to Jupiter’s surface as fast as they are produced. The three current papers discussed above assume that the suspended mass of these particles, circulating in the multiple zonal winds are the cause of the non-zero gravity harmonics. However, the amount of material suspended in the atmosphere is only a minuscule fraction of the amount which has already settled to the surface since 1935, (after which date mass was no longer was being ejected from Jupiter), and is influencing the non-zero odd gravitational harmonics. Since the fusion reaction was releasing and ejecting mass up until 1935, nothing in the atmosphere today is primordial.

Since the surface of Jupiter between +/- 70 ° latitude is obscured by atmospheric dust, the surface terrain is still a mystery, so it is not possible to say whether it is solid methane gas hydrate, with structure over which the atmospheric dust is spread, or is covered with a layer of muddy water formed by the falling dust, because Methane Gas Hydrate is primarily 90% water, a larger mass of water is being released than that of the atmospheric dust.

As discussed in a previous post, Cyclic Catastrophism suggests that a few extensive craters (> 100,000 km²), partially water-filled palimpsests, from the birth of Mars, Earth and Venus, and the resulting 6,000-year plumes, are producing anomalies in the odd gravity harmonics. This is particularly true in the case of the Venus palimpsest, since the fusion reaction, centered at 22 ° South Latitude, 50,000-km east of the Great Red Spot, means that PJ 7 would have passed over it, greatly influencing J₃(N-S) harmonic. Hopefully, an extended mission will identify these permanent palimpsests, which in the current ‘gas giant’ hypothesis are considered snapshots of atmospheric flows.

For a complete paper on Jupiter, see: http://firmament-chaos.com/pdf/Juno%20-%20Evidence%20of%20a%20Solid%20Jupiter.pdf