3 results on '"Roman, Michael T."'
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2. Saturn's Atmosphere in Northern Summer Revealed by JWST/MIRI.
- Author
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Fletcher, Leigh N., King, Oliver R. T., Harkett, Jake, Hammel, Heidi B., Roman, Michael T., Melin, Henrik, Hedman, Matthew M., Moses, Julianne I., Guerlet, Sandrine, Milam, Stefanie N., and Tiscareno, Matthew S.
- Subjects
SATURN (Planet) ,POLAR vortex ,STRATOSPHERIC circulation ,ZONAL winds ,ATMOSPHERE ,QUASI-biennial oscillation (Meteorology) ,TROPOSPHERIC aerosols - Abstract
Saturn's northern summertime hemisphere was mapped by JWST/Mid‐Infrared Instrument (4.9–27.9 µm) in November 2022, tracing the seasonal evolution of temperatures, aerosols, and chemical species in the 5 years since the end of the Cassini mission. The spectral region between reflected sunlight and thermal emission (5.1–6.8 µm) is mapped for the first time, enabling retrievals of phosphine, ammonia, and water, alongside a system of two aerosol layers (an upper tropospheric haze p < 0.3 bars, and a deeper cloud layer at 1–2 bars). Ammonia displays substantial equatorial enrichment, suggesting similar dynamical processes to those found in Jupiter's equatorial zone. Saturn's North Polar Stratospheric Vortex has warmed since 2017, entrained by westward winds at p < 10 mbar, and exhibits localized enhancements in several hydrocarbons. The strongest latitudinal temperature gradients are co‐located with the peaks of the zonal winds, implying wind decay with altitude. Reflectivity contrasts at 5–6 µm compare favorably with albedo contrasts observed by Hubble, and several discrete vortices are observed. A warm equatorial stratospheric band in 2022 is not consistent with a 15‐year repeatability for the equatorial oscillation. A stacked system of windshear zones dominates Saturn's equatorial stratosphere, and implies a westward equatorial jet near 1–5 mbar at this epoch. Lower stratospheric temperatures, and local minima in the distributions of several hydrocarbons, imply low‐latitude upwelling and a reversal of Saturn's interhemispheric circulation since equinox. Latitudinal distributions of stratospheric ethylene, benzene, methyl, and carbon dioxide are presented for the first time, and we report the first detection of propane bands in the 8–11 µm region. Plain Language Summary: The Saturn system, with its seasonally varying atmosphere, delicate rings, and myriad satellites, presented an ideal early target for JWST. Saturn's extended disc, rapid rotation, and infrared brightness provided a challenge for the small fields‐of‐view of the Mid‐Infrared Instrument (MIRI), requiring a mosaic to map Saturn's northern summertime hemisphere. This exquisite data set reveals Saturn's banded structure, discrete vortices, the warm polar vortices, and the continued evolution of an oscillatory pattern of warm and cool anomalies over Saturn's equator. We show evidence that a stratospheric circulation pattern detected by Cassini during northern winter has now fully reversed in northern summer, with the low‐latitude stratosphere being cool and depleted in aerosols due to summertime upwelling. MIRI provides access to spectral regions that were not possible with the Cassini spacecraft, particularly in the 5–7 μm region where reflected sunlight and thermal emission blend together. Ammonia and phosphine are enriched at Saturn's equator, suggesting strong mixing from the deeper troposphere. MIRI's high sensitivity enables the first identification of previously unseen emission propane bands, along with the first measurements of the distribution of several gaseous species: tropospheric water, and stratospheric ethylene, benzene, methyl, and carbon dioxide. Key Points: Saturn's northern summertime hemisphere was mapped by JWST/Mid‐Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to study seasonal evolution of temperatures, aerosols, and compositionThe data show evidence for changing temperatures and winds in the equatorial oscillation, polar vortices, and interhemispheric stratospheric circulationMIRI spectral coverage and sensitivity enables mapping of several gases for the first time, particularly in ranges inaccessible to Cassini [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Mid-Infrared Observations of the Giant Planets.
- Author
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Roman, Michael T.
- Subjects
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PLANETARY observations , *ATMOSPHERIC temperature , *REMOTE sensing , *URANUS (Planet) , *NEPTUNE (Planet) - Abstract
The mid-infrared spectral region provides a unique window into the atmospheric temperature, chemistry, and dynamics of the giant planets. From more than a century of mid-infrared remote sensing, progressively clearer pictures of the composition and thermal structure of these atmospheres have emerged, along with a greater insight into the processes that shape them. Our knowledge of Jupiter and Saturn has benefitted from their proximity and relatively warm temperatures, while the details of colder and more distant Uranus and Neptune are limited as these planets remain challenging targets. As the timeline of observations continues to grow, an understanding of the temporal and seasonal variability of the giant planets is beginning to develop with promising new observations on the horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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