Water, ammonia, and H 2S mixing ratios in Jupiter's five-micron hot spots: A dynamical model

Abstract

The Galileo probe entered the jovian atmosphere at the southern edge of a 5-micron hot spot, one of typically 8–10 quasi-evenly-spaced longitudinal areas of anomalously high 5-micron IR emission that reside in a narrow latitude band centered on +7.5 degrees. These hot spots are characterized primarily by a low abundance of the cloud particles that dominate the 5-micron opacity at other locations on the planet, and by significant desiccation of ammonia, water and hydrogen sulfide in the upper layers of the troposphere. Ortiz et al. [1998. Evolution and persistence of 5-micron hot spots at the Galileo probe entry latitude. J. Geophys. Res. 103, 23,051–23,069] found that the latitude and drift rate of the hot spots could be explained if they are formed by an equatorially trapped Rossby wave of meridional degree 1 moving with a phase speed between 99 and 103 m s −1 relative to System III. Here we model additional properties of the hot spots in terms of the amplitude saturation of such a wave propagating in the weakly stratified deep troposphere. We identify the hot spots with locations where the wave plus mean thermal stratification becomes marginally stable. In these locations, potential temperature isotherms stretch downward to very deep levels in the troposphere. Since fluid parcels follow these isotherms under adiabatic flow conditions, the parcels dive downward when they enter the portion of the wave associated with the hot spot and soar upward upon leaving the spot. We show that this model can account for the anomalous vertical profiles of NH 3, H 2O, and H 2S mixing ratio measured by the Galileo probe. Pressures vary by as much as 20 bar over potential temperature isotherms in solutions that produce sufficient desiccation of water and H 2S in hot spots. Approximately 6 × 10 −2 of Jupiter's internal heat flux must be tapped to maintain the wave over the mean hot spot lifetime of 10 7 s. The results suggest that the phenomenon that causes hot spots may occur widely, although in less dramatic form, across Jupiter's surface, and consequently NH 3, H 2S, and H 2O mixing ratio profiles may vary significantly from location to location in Jupiter's troposphere.