Jupiter cloud structure from Galileo images: Regional cloud systems
P.J. Gierasch, D.J. Banfield, M. Bell, E.A. Ustinov (Cornell), A. Vasavada, A.P. Ingersoll (Caltech), M.J.S. Belton (NOAO), Galileo Imaging Team
Large areas on Jupiter are laterally homogeneous to a high degree.
Examples are the core of the Great Red Spot, the dark collar
surrounding the Red Spot, and the core of a typical five micron bright
spot. Galileo data from many of these regions exists with a wide
range of observing and illumination angles, and at a set of
wavelengths representing strong and weak methane bands plus a nearby
methane continuum. These sets of data show that the general vertical
structure is an upper troposphere haze over a thicker cloud, which in
turn overlies a deep haze. The elevation and albedo of the upper
troposphere haze varies greatly from region to region. For example,
the elevation is particularly high in the core of the Red Spot, and
particularly low in the dark ring surrounding the Red Spot. The
optical depth of the denser cloud beneath the haze also varies from
region to region, and is very small near five micron hot spots. This
cloud, regionally, is remarkably uniform in height (pressure level).
It is probably ammonia condensate. Maps of cloud properties are
presented.