The Westward Drift of Jupiter's Polar Cyclones Explained by a Center‐of‐Mass Approach

Abstract

The first orbits around Jupiter of the Juno spacecraft in 2016 revealed a symmetric structure of multiple cyclones that remained stable over the next 5 years. Trajectories of individual cyclones indicated a consistent westward circumpolar motion around both poles. In this paper, we propose an explanation for this tendency using the concept of beta‐drift and a “center‐of‐mass” approach. We suggest that the motion of these cyclones as a group can be represented by an equivalent sole cyclone, which is continuously pushed by beta‐drift poleward and westward, embodying the westward motion of the individual cyclones. We support our hypothesis with 2D model simulations and observational evidence, demonstrating this mechanism for the westward drift. This study joins consistently with previous studies that revealed how aspects of these cyclones result from vorticity‐gradient forces, shedding light on the physical nature of Jupiter's polar cyclones.