Mapping potential vorticity dynamics on saturn: Zonal mean circulation from Cassini and Voyager data

A long-lived cyclone in Saturn’s atmosphere: Observations and models

“…Although errors in the resulting profile are dependent on the smoothing procedure (i.e. on the box used to calculate the averages), our results agree well with previous published vorticity gradient profiles by Del Genio et al (2009) and Read et al (2009). We find @ 2 u=@y 2 ¼ 6 AE 1 Â 10 À12 m À1 s À1 at the latitude of CS.…”

“…We can estimate the Rossby deformation radius L D = Nh/f in the weather layer from the results of our simulations. Adopting a value of N = 4 Â 10 À3 s À1 and a vertical extent of four scale heights we get L D = 1700 km, a value that agrees reasonably with the vortex size and with a recent derivation by Read et al (2009), valid at higher altitudes (240 mbar level).…”

Saturn Atmospheric Structure and Dynamics

“…For Saturn, the PV distributions derived by Read et al (2009) indicate that its atmosphere seems to approach this neutrally stable state even more closely than on Jupiter, with clear evidence of a locally linear relationship between u and ∂q G /∂y,…”

Seasonal change on Saturn from Cassini/CIRS observations, 2004–2009

“…at locations of the broader, weaker, westward jets). It is interesting to note that these regions at the westward jet peaks have been interpreted as latitudes where the atmosphere violates Arnol'd's second stability theorem (Read et al, 2009), possibly leading to significant eddy activity in these locations (waves, large vortices, the hexagon and the ribbon wave, etc.). It would also appear that these regions exhibit the most rapid atmospheric response to seasonal insolation changes in the troposphere.…”