Newswise — WASHINGTON, D.C., March 6, 2019 — The most recent knowledge despatched again by the Juno and Cassini spacecraft from large fuel planets Jupiter and Saturn have challenged numerous present theories about how planets in our photo voltaic system kind and behave.
The detailed magnetic and gravity knowledge have been “invaluable but additionally confounding,” mentioned David Stevenson from Caltech, who will current an replace of each missions this week on the 2019 American Bodily Society March Assembly in Boston. He will even take part in a press convention describing the work. Data for logging on to observe and ask questions remotely is included on the finish of this information launch.
“Though there are puzzles but to be defined, that is already clarifying a few of our concepts about how planets kind, how they make magnetic fields and the way the winds blow,” Stevenson mentioned.
Cassini orbited Saturn for 13 years earlier than its dramatic last dive into the planet’s inside in 2017, whereas Juno has been orbiting Jupiter for 2 and a half years.
Juno’s success as a mission to Jupiter is a tribute to progressive design. Its devices are powered by photo voltaic vitality alone and guarded in order to face up to the fierce radiation atmosphere.
Stevenson says the inclusion of a microwave sensor on Juno was a great choice.
“Utilizing microwaves to determine the deep ambiance was the proper, however unconventional, selection,” he mentioned. The microwave knowledge have shocked the scientists, specifically by exhibiting that the ambiance is evenly blended, one thing typical theories didn’t predict.
“Any rationalization for this must be unorthodox,” Stevenson mentioned.
Researchers are exploring climate occasions concentrating important quantities of ice, liquids and fuel in several elements of the ambiance as doable explanations, however the matter is way from sealed.
Different devices on board Juno, gravity and magnetic sensors, have additionally despatched again perplexing knowledge. The magnetic discipline has spots (areas of anomalously excessive or low magnetic discipline) and likewise a putting distinction between the northern and southern hemispheres.
“It’s not like something we now have seen earlier than,” Stevenson mentioned.
The gravity knowledge have confirmed that within the midst of Jupiter, which is not less than 90 % hydrogen and helium by mass, there are heavier parts amounting to greater than 10 instances the mass of Earth. Nevertheless, they don’t seem to be concentrated in a core however are blended in with the hydrogen above, most of which is within the type of a metallic liquid.
The information has supplied wealthy details about the outer elements of each Jupiter and Saturn. The abundance of heavier parts in these areas remains to be unsure, however the outer layers play a larger-than-expected function within the era of the 2 planets’ magnetic fields. Experiments mimicking the fuel planets’ pressures and temperatures at the moment are wanted to assist the scientists perceive the processes which are occurring.
For Stevenson, who has studied fuel giants for 40 years, the puzzles are the hallmark of a great mission.
“A profitable mission is one which surprises us. Science could be boring if it merely confirmed what we beforehand thought,” he mentioned.
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The 2019 APS March Assembly presentation “What Juno and Cassini have informed us about Big Planet interiors,” by David Stevenson, will happen Wednesday, March 6, at 2:30 p.m. in room 258C of the Boston Conference and Exhibition Heart. ABSTRACT: http://conferences.aps.org/Assembly/MAR19/Session/P62.1
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———————– MORE MEETING INFORMATION ———————–
The American Bodily Society (APS) March Assembly is a significant worldwide convention and the most important physics assembly of the 12 months. In 2019, the APS March Assembly will convene March 4-8 on the Boston Conference and Exhibition Heart.
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