Radiative-dynamical Simulation of Jupiter’s Stratosphere and Upper Troposphere

Abstract

Abstract We present a two-dimensional radiative-dynamical model of the combined stratosphere and upper troposphere of Jupiter to understand its temperature distribution and meridional circulation pattern. Our study highlights the importance of radiative and mechanical forcing for driving the middle atmospheric circulation on Jupiter. Our model adopts a state-of-the-art radiative transfer scheme with recent observations of Jovian gas abundances and haze distribution. Assuming local radiative equilibrium, latitudinal variation of hydrocarbon abundances is not able to explain the observed latitudinal temperature variations in the mid-latitudes. With mechanical forcing parameterized as a frictional drag on zonal wind, our model produces ∼2 K latitudinal temperature variations observed in low to mid-latitudes in the troposphere and lower stratosphere, but cannot reproduce the observed 5 K temperature variations in the middle stratosphere. In the high latitudes, temperature and meridional circulation depend strongly on polar haze radiation. The simulated residual mean circulation shows either two broad equator-to-pole cells or multi-cell patterns, depending on the frictional drag timescale and polar haze properties. A more realistic wave parameterization and a better observational characterization of haze distribution and optical properties are needed to better understand latitudinal temperature distributions and circulation patterns in the middle atmosphere of Jupiter.