EGU24-18317, updated on 31 Jul 2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-18317
EGU General Assembly 2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Investigating Atmospheric Dynamics of Uranus and Neptune: A General Circulation Model Approach with a Parametrization of Convection

Arthur Le Saux1, Sandrine Guerlet1, Aymeric Spiga1, Jeremy Leconte2, Noe Clement2, and Gwenael Milcareck1
Arthur Le Saux et al.
  • 1Sorbonne Universite, LMD/ IPSL, (arthur.le-saux@lmd.ipsl.fr)
  • 2Laboratoire d’astrophysique de Bordeaux, Univ. Bordeaux,

Understanding the atmospheric dynamics of Uranus and Neptune remains a challenging endeavour due to the limited observational data available. In this study, we employ a sophisticated General Circulation Model (GCM), known as the Generic Planetary Circulation Model, to investigate the complex meteorological phenomena of the Ice Giants, with a focus on the role of convection in the troposphere Our attention is directed towards the parametrization of convection, a crucial driver of atmospheric circulation, as it significantly impacts the transport of energy and the distribution of chemical species throughout the atmosphere. One of the unique aspects of our study lies in the consideration of methane condensation in the convection parametrization scheme based on a thermal plume model initially developed for the Earth atmospheric boundary layer (Rio & Hourdin 2008). However, unlike for the Earth, the condensable species are heavier than the surrounding atmosphere mainly composed of hydrogen. This phenomenon is suggested to be a powerful driver of intermittent storms activity detected in the atmospheres of the Ice Giants (Guillot 2022). The improved fidelity of our GCM simulations offers valuable implications for interpreting observational data and refining our understanding of the atmospheric processes governing these enigmatic outer planets.

How to cite: Le Saux, A., Guerlet, S., Spiga, A., Leconte, J., Clement, N., and Milcareck, G.: Investigating Atmospheric Dynamics of Uranus and Neptune: A General Circulation Model Approach with a Parametrization of Convection, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-18317, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-18317, 2024.