Using the stratospheric Infrared Astronomical Observatory (Sofia), planetary scientists observed the atmospheric cycle in Jupiter from August 2018 to July 2019, which is also the first observation activity in northern winter In this activity, scientists especially studied hydrogen. Hydrogen molecules -- H2 -- can be arranged in two different ways, namely ortho hydrogen and para hydrogen.
These two arrangements have different energies, so determining the ratio of positive hydrogen to secondary hydrogen can tell astronomers about the overall temperature.
The researchers observed the concentrations of secondary and positive hydrogen at the height above Jupiter's main cloud. They found that around the equator, warm gases are rising into Jupiter's atmosphere. At the north and south poles, however, the opposite is happening: cold gas from the higher, colder atmosphere is moving downward.
Imke de pater, the lead author of the study, which was recently published in the journal planetary science, said: "it gives a sense of an overall cycle: rising at the equator and sinking near the poles".
As we all know, Jupiter has an asymmetric aerosol distribution in the northern and southern hemisphere, so this temperature imbalance between its poles is likely to be the influence of its asymmetry.
In studying Jupiter, Pater and her colleagues also saw four other celestial bodies entering Sofia's field of vision and collected data. Jupiter's four largest moons are collectively called its Galileo moons Europa Ganymede and Callisto.
"We were surprised that we actually captured all four satellites and could determine their brightness and temperature," de pater said. Because of this surprise, the team can clearly see how the temperature of these satellites decreases with the depth of their lower surface. These temperature changes can eventually be used to determine the composition, density and other properties of the interior of the satellite.