Curious weather on Jupiter

Watts Up WIth That ^ | 11/30/2010 | Anthony Watts

[Straight Vermonter]

Dark Belt Reappearing on Jupiter Credit: NASA’s JPL, U. Oxford, UC Berkeley, Gemini Obs. (North), USC Philippines

Explanation: Why are planet-circling clouds disappearing and reappearing on Jupiter? Although the ultimate cause remains unknown, planetary meteorologists are beginning to better understand what is happening. Earlier this year, unexpectedly, Jupiter’s dark Southern Equatorial Belt (SEB) disappeared.

The changes were first noted by amateurs dedicated to watching Jupiter full time. The South Equatorial Band has been seen to change colors before, although the change has never been recorded in such detail. Detailed professional observations revealed that high-flying light-colored ammonia-based clouds formed over the planet-circling dark belt.

Now those light clouds are dissipating, again unveiling the lower dark clouds. Pictured above two weeks ago, far infrared images — depicted in false-color red — show a powerful storm system active above the returning dark belt. Continued observations of Jupiter’s current cloud opera, and our understanding of it, is sure to continue.

[Straight Vermonter]

Lots of links at the site.

[Vaquero]

Bush’s fault.....

....still.

[UCANSEE2]

Might have something to do with the energy hitting the planet from large Solar Flares.

[surfer]

It has to be AGW...Gore must be giving speeches there.

[dfwgator]

I heard there were also flares on Uranus.

[exDemMom]

Clearly, it’s global warming. Better cut down on CO2 emissions in the Jupiterian atmosphere.

Seriously, though, would an observer of Earth be wondering why the clouds appear and disappear? It seems to me that the right questions to be asking are why the clouds on Jupiter persist for so long, and why do they encircle the entire planet?

[skimbell]

"Why are planet-circling clouds disappearing and reappearing on Jupiter?"

SUV's.

[Red Badger]

I heard there were also flares on Uranus.

We should launch a probe immediately.....................

[himno hero]

Yup, I’m with you on this one. Could well be something is pushing the light around, a storm of some sort. Wonder how the storm will affect us?

[Past Your Eyes]

I think it’s because a “day” on Jupiter is only a few hours long and the clouds don’t have a chance to burn off. That must be it.

[reagan_fanatic]

“It’s shrinking!!”

[Bean Counter]

Must be another one of those mysterious contrails....

[Vaquero]

I heard there were also flares on Uranus.

[traderrob6]

But it's getting better.

[Vaquero]

I heard there were also flares on Uranus.

[The Comedian]

Welcome-to-Monolith-country ping.

"Space Energy/Solar Weirdness" ping.

Ping list dealing with odd space phenomena and solar events.

FReepmail me if you want on or off

The Comedian's "Space Energy/Solar Weirdness" ping list...

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[JRios1968]

[steve8714]

No, but there are gaseous emissions from the soft core...

[PATRIOT1876]

Let's send Gore there in his giant private jet so he can fly around in his coal-powered jet chair to speechify about how the Jupiterians need to turn off the heat in their homes and stop driving there SUV’s.

He'll need additional money to arm himself against the man-bear-pig.

[stormer]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/En-us-Uranus.ogg