A Possible Mechanism to Explain the Prograde Equatorial Jet of a Jupiter-like Gaseous Giant

Abstract

Gaseous giants are characterized by their deep atmospheres, which lack clear boundaries with their interiors; therefore, their internal states could directly influence atmospheric dynamics. So far, most modeling studies have considered deep convection as the primary mechanism by which the interior influences atmospheric dynamics. In this work, we propose another possible mechanism that might crucially determine the appearance of gaseous giants' atmospheric cloud-top jet winds, tracing them to a typical hydromagnetic wave (the so-called equatorial Magnetic-Archimedes-Coriolis wave) generated within the stably stratified, strongly magnetized helium rain layer. The associated thermal perturbations can propagate upward through the convective molecular hydrogen envelope, eventually affecting the atmospheric thermal structure - the zonal inhomogeneities that are conducive to the formation of the eastward atmospheric equatorial jet (super-rotation). Our results have important implications for understanding the equatorial dynamics of gaseous giants. This mechanism could also help explain the equatorial westward jets (sub-rotation) observed on Uranus and Neptune, which lack the helium rain layers.

References in corpus (19)

• Explaining Jupiter's magnetic field and equatorial jet dynamics
• Understanding Jupiter's Interior
• An Exploration of Double Diffusive Convection in Jupiter as a Result of Hydrogen-Helium Phase Separation
• Evidence for a Dichotomy in the Interior Structures of Jupiter and Saturn from Helium Phase Separation
• Stable stratification promotes multiple zonal jets in a turbulent Jovian dynamo model
• Bayesian Evolution Models for Jupiter with Helium Rain and Double-diffusive Convection
• Theory of solar oscillations in the inertial frequency range: Linear modes of the convection zone
• A 3D picture of moist-convection inhibition in hydrogen-rich atmospheres: Implications for K2-18 b
• Study of Jupiter's Interior: Comparison of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Layer Models
• Layer formation in a stably-stratified fluid cooled from above. Towards an analog for Jupiter and other gas giants
• A Global Simulation of the Dynamo, Zonal Jets, and Vortices on Saturn
• Hot exoplanetary atmospheres in 3D
• The Interiors of Jupiter and Saturn
• H${}_2$-H${}_2$O demixing in Uranus and Neptune: Adiabatic structure models
• Gas Giant Simulations of Eddy-Driven Jets Accompanied by Deep Meridional Circulation
• On the meaning of the dynamo radius in giant planets with stable layers
• Rossby waves on stellar equatorial beta-planes: uniformly rotating radiative stars
• Convectively coupled equatorial trapped waves in stars and planets
• Model of deep zonal flows in giant planets