Observational constraints on the strength and depth of the zonal jets on Saturn.

ABSTRACT: Saturn is characterized by strong zonal winds at the cloud level, with a wide equatorial west-to-east flow, two retrograde jets on its flanks, and a series of mid-to-high latitude jets in both hemispheres. Based on the Cassini mission gravity measurement up to zonal harmonic J₁₀, it was shown that these winds penetrate to approximately 9000 km. However, these analyses relied fully on the low, even harmonics dominated by an interior structure that is not known to high accuracy. Here, we present a Cassini-based gravity analysis, resolving the gravity harmonics up to J₂₀, by constraining the surface gravity in the polar regions. Using the extended harmonics and surface gravity, we show evidence that the wind structure poleward of latitude 45° must be shallower than 3000 

SUBMITTER: Galanti E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11914212 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature