New science with old data, Atmospheric confinement of jet streams on Uranus and Neptune Options

[MarcF]

A paper published today in the journal Nature:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v497/...ature12131.html

"An analysis of data collected by the Voyager 2 spacecraft and by ground-based telescopes limits the depths to which winds penetrate into Uranus and Neptune to the outermost 0.15 per cent of the total mass of Uranus and the outermost 0.2 per cent of the total mass of Neptune. This provides a stronger limit to the depth of the dynamical atmosphere than previously suggested, and shows that the dynamics are confined to a thin weather layer no more than about 1,000 kilometres deep on both planets."

"The confinement of the strong jets on Uranus and Neptune to a shallow weather layer implies that the dynamics controlling zonal jets are likely to come from shallow processes, rather than from deep columnar structures that penetrate through the planet. Nevertheless, internal heat may be significant in driving these jets, particularly on Neptune where the internal heat flux is 1.6 times stronger than the heating from the Sun."

Best regards,
Marc.

[MarcF]

"Re-analysis of data from NASA’s Voyager spacecraft, along with new computer modeling, has led NASA scientists to conclude that four of Uranus’ largest moons likely contain an ocean layer between their cores and icy crusts. Their study is the first to detail the evolution of the interior makeup and structure of all five large moons: Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, and Miranda. The work suggests four of the moons hold oceans that could be dozens of miles deep."

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/new-study-...-may-hold-water

[Stefan]

"Re-analysis of data from NASA’s Voyager spacecraft, along with new computer modeling, has led NASA scientists to conclude that four of Uranus’ largest moons likely contain an ocean layer between their cores and icy crusts. Their study is the first to detail the evolution of the interior makeup and structure of all five large moons: Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, and Miranda. The work suggests four of the moons hold oceans that could be dozens of miles deep."

This is a pure modeling paper that did not involve any re-analysis of data from NASA’s Voyager spacecraft. The authors even point out that "there is potential room for improving the analysis of the Voyager data." Weird to start the press release like that. Great paper, of course.