The image of Jupiter was taken by the Juno space probe during its flyby on September 7, 2023. Source: NASA

Scientists have explored Jupiter’s Great Blue Spot, a mysterious region where powerful magnetic fields pull particles in different directions. Thanks to data from the Juno spacecraft, astronomers have revealed new secrets about Jupiter’s magnetic field. A paper published March 6 in the journal Nature details the phenomenon hidden in the gas giant’s atmosphere. One of the most interesting features is a strange oscillating jet that occurs over a period of four years. Scientists currently don’t know exactly what causes this phenomenon, but new data reveals some important clues about Jupiter’s strong magnetic field near its equator, also known as the Great Blue Spot.

A paper published March 6 in the journal Nature details the phenomenon hidden in the gas giant’s atmosphere. One of the most interesting features is a strange oscillating jet that occurs over a period of four years. Scientists currently don’t know exactly what causes this phenomenon, but new data reveals some important clues about Jupiter’s strong magnetic field near its equator, also known as the Great Blue Spot. Ta. Scientists have explored Jupiter’s Great Blue Spot, a mysterious region where powerful magnetic fields pull particles in different directions.

The name “Great Blue Spot” does not refer to the area’s actual color. It comes from the color scale that scientists used to study the planet’s magnetic field. Unlike Earth’s magnetic field, Jupiter’s magnetic field deviates significantly from the planet’s axis of rotation, and this asymmetry is so pronounced that the “spot” can be likened to a second south pole protruding from the planet’s equator. In addition, the winds spread to the west in some parts of the region, and to the east in the rest. The paper’s authors used data returned from a spacecraft currently exploring Jupiter and mapping the Great Blue Spot during a series of target flybys during an extended mission. This discovery suggests that deep within Jupiter’s metallic core, there may be wave-like behavior responsible for the observed magnetic field, similar to ocean waves that change speed as they travel. ing. Scientists have previously discovered that this star cluster, caused by Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field, drifts more than any other area of ​​Jupiter’s surface due to strong winds that penetrate its turbulent core to a depth of 3,000 kilometers. At this deepest point, the researchers suspect that Jupiter’s magnetic field weakens these winds. In this region, jets can drift at speeds of tens of centimeters per second, unlike other jets on the Earth’s surface that move many times faster. But Yochai Kaspi, a professor of atmospheric dynamics and co-investigator on the Juno project who was not involved in the study, said the results were “very insignificant” and essentially a first step in the research. points out that it represents At present, there is not enough data to conclude that the jet vibrates regularly every four years. “If the data spans five years, he can’t say anything about a four-year period.” In the near future, scientists plan to conduct additional observations with the Juno spacecraft, which will help them gain more answers about the dynamics of the magnetic field and understand how it interacts with the planet itself. would be helpful. Scientists believe that new discoveries and more accurate conclusions are needed.