EPSC Abstracts
Vol. 18, EPSC-DPS2025-6, 2025, updated on 09 Jul 2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc-dps2025-6
EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Are cyclones in Jupiter’s polar regions modulated by the radially directional Rayleigh-Taylor instability?
Chuxin Chen
Chuxin Chen
  • University of Science and Technology of China, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Hefei, China (chuxin@ustc.edu.cn)

The persistence and symmetry of cyclones about the poles of Jupiter are unknown.  In present investigation, inspired by the cyclones in the South Pole of the Earth, we propose a mechanism which gives an explanation about this problem. The negative temperature gradient with respect to latitude may play an important role here. This temperature gradient is induced by solar radiation, because of the small axial inclination of Jupiter. Our numerical simulations suggest that the cyclones in the polar regions of Jupiter may be modulated or controlled by the radially directional Rayleigh-Taylor instability driven by the centrifugal force and the negative temperature gradient along the latitude.

How to cite: Chen, C.: Are cyclones in Jupiter’s polar regions modulated by the radially directional Rayleigh-Taylor instability?, EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2025, Helsinki, Finland, 7–12 Sep 2025, EPSC-DPS2025-6, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc-dps2025-6, 2025.