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Equipped with the James Webb Space Telescope, space researchers have once again been able to gather new and fascinating insights into the structure of Jupiter.
Munich – Jupiter surprises researchers not only with its enormous diameter. The largest planet in our solar system even influences our Earth. Researchers are particularly amazed by this planet because new and surprising insights are constantly coming to light.
The region above the large red spot on Jupiter was previously considered not particularly impressive, but space researchers were probably wrong, as the ESA reportedWith the help of the James Webb Space Telescope of the space organizations NASA, CSA and ESA, numerous new structures and activities were discovered on the surface of the gas planet.
Structural change discovered on the surface of the gas planet: “Jupiter always surprises”
The Great Red Spot has long occupied scientists, and only recently has researchers finally been able to solve the mystery. Details surrounding the Great Red Spot on Jupiter remain invisible to ground-based telescopes. However, the infrared sensitivity of the James Webb Space Telescope allows researchers to examine the Great Red Spot much more closely.
While the auroras shine brightly in the northern and southern regions of the planet, the upper atmosphere remains difficult to see for ground-based telescopes. Until now, researchers therefore assumed that this region did not have any special anomalies due to the low amount of sunlight – only four percent compared to Earth.
But the scientists unexpectedly discovered a variety of complex structures, including dark arcs and bright spots that extend across the entire field of view. “We originally thought this region would be quite monotonous, but in fact it is just as fascinating as the Northern Lights, if not more so. Jupiter never ceases to amaze,” said Henrik Melin, leader of the team and professor at the University of Leicester in the UK.
Space telescope reveals new Jupiter details: How the surface could have changed
According to researchers, there are several possibilities how the structural change on Jupiter came about. “One way this structure can change is through gravity waves – similar to waves hitting a beach and rippling the sand. These waves originate deep in the turbulent lower atmosphere, around the Great Red Spot, and they can travel upwards and change the structure and emissions of the upper atmosphere,” explains Melin.
![The James Webb Space Telescope took a closer look at the Great Red Spot on the planet Jupiter.](https://www.merkur.de/assets/images/34/935/34935395-das-james-webb-weltraumteleskop-hat-sich-den-grossen-roten-fleck-auf-dem-planeten-jupiter-genauer-angeschaut-RdBG.jpg)
In the future, the research team hopes to analyze these complex wave patterns in more detail to study how they behave in Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. These studies could significantly improve our understanding of the energy balance in this region and how atmospheric features change over time.
These findings could also benefit ESA’s “Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer” (JUICE), which was launched on April 14, 2023. Juice will study Jupiter and its three large ocean-containing moons Ganymede, Callisto and Europa in more detail. Recently, researchers have speculated whether life would be possible on Jupiter’s moon Europa, but an important building block seems to be missing. (cg)
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