Published May 27, 2020 | Version v1
Journal article Open

A Long‐Lived Sharp Disruption on the Lower Clouds of Venus

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Space Science Institute
  • 2. ROR icon University of the Basque Country
  • 3. ROR icon University of Colorado Boulder
  • 4. ROR icon Hokkaido University
  • 5. ROR icon The University of Tokyo
  • 6. EDMO icon University of Michigan
  • 7. Southwest Research Institute Boulder
  • 8. Science and Technology Corporation
  • 9. ROR icon Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
  • 10. ROR icon University of Cologne

Description

Planetary-scale waves are thought to play a role in powering the yet unexplained atmospheric superrotation of Venus. Puzzlingly, while Kelvin, Rossby, and stationary waves manifest at the upper clouds (65–70 km), no planetary-scale waves or stationary patterns have been reported in the intervening level of the lower clouds (48–55 km), although the latter are probably Lee waves. Using observations by the Akatsuki orbiter and ground-based telescopes, we show that the lower clouds follow a regular cycle punctuated between 30ºN and 40ºS by a sharp discontinuity or disruption with potential implications to Venus's general circulation and thermal structure. This disruption exhibits a westward rotation period of ∼4.9 days faster than winds at this level (∼6-day period), alters clouds' properties and aerosols, and remains coherent during weeks. Past observations reveal its recurrent nature since at least 1983, and numerical simulations show that a nonlinear Kelvin wave reproduces many of its properties.

Files

2020 - PERALTA - A Long‐Lived Sharp Disruption on the Lower Clouds of Venus.pdf

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Additional details

Funding

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
International Top Young Fellowship (ITYF)

Dates

Accepted
2020-05-01