Jupiter (Outer Planet)

Jupiter (Outer Planet)

1. Atmosphere

   • Jupiter HAS an atmosphere
     • Parallel, alternating light & dark bands = Clouds
     • The Great Red Spot & smaller spots = Storms
       • = contain 2~3 size of Earth
       • Reddish colour by complex organic molecules - Red Phosphorous/another sulfur compound
       • TGRS existed continuously for more than 300years
         • Earth's storm only lasts several days
         • somehow sustained by Jupiter's large-scale atmospheric motion
           • the spot being "rolled" between 2 oppositely directed flows
   • Composition
     • (Molecular) Hydrogen = Most abundant gas
       • followed by Helium
         • Such abundance = direct consequence of the planet's strong gravity
   • Clouds
     • Rapid rotation caused the cloud to wrap all the way around the planet
       • Forming bands parallel to equator
         • light-coloured bands
           • clouds at high altitude
             • More exposed to the Sun
               • Reflecting the sunlight
       • Rotation of 9h50m
     • Composed of ammonia crystals & possibly ammonium hydrosulfide
       • ammonia ice reflect sunlight effectively
     • Orange & Brown colouration
       • caused by upwelling compounds that change colour when they are exposed to UV light from the Sun
       • Substances: believed to be P/S/hydrocarbons

2. Moons

   • 67 known moons
   • 4 largest moons
     • Gallilean moons
       • discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610
         • named after mythological lovers of Jupiter
       • arranged in 1 line
       • 1. Europa (nearest to Jupiter)
         • surface composed of water ice
           • Hypothesis that a water ocean exists beneath the surface
             • conceivably serve as an abode for extraterrestrial life
         • [Hypothesis] Heat from tidal flexing causes the ocean to remain liquid
           • The surface's immense network of criss-crossing cracks serves as a record of the stresses caused by massive tides in the global ocean
             • The surface must stretch to accommodate these changes
               • Too much stress = it cracks
         • Water Plumes
           • may be erupting off Europa's surface
             • similar to the volcanic plumes erupting off Io's surface
       • 2. Io
         • Bright yellow
           • from sulfur & molten silicate rock
         • Active volcanoes
         • Orbits very close to Jupiter
           • Jupiter's huge gravitational force exerts strong tidal forces on Io
             • In a (slightly) non-circular orbit, the enormous tidal stresses continually flex & squeeze Io's interior
               • generate large amounts of heat w/i Io
                 • = Tidal Heating
       • 3. Ganymede
         • Surface (Types of terrain)
           • A. Lighter surface = enriched in water ice
           • B. Dark regions = old terrain
         • Might have ice & oceans stacked up in several layers
       • 4. Callisto
         • Old surface
           • one large ice-field laced with impact craters
         • may also have a subsurface ocean of liquid water
   • Large, spherical
     • Size: Ganymede > Callisto > Io > Earth Moon > Europa
   • Small moons
     • observed by robot spacecraft - Galileo
       • Eg) Thebe, Amalthea & Metis
     • composed of mostly ice & much smaller than Galilean Moons

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