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Science 21 September 1990:
Vol. 249. no. 4975, pp. 1393 - 1398
DOI: 10.1126/science.249.4975.1393
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Articles

Simple Dynamical Models of Neptune's Great Dark Spot

L. M. Polvani 1, J. Wisdom 2, E. DeJong 3, and A. P. Ingersoll 3

1 Department of Mathematics, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachsetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
2 Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachsetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
3 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125

The large amplitude oscillations of the shape of Neptune's Great Dark Spot are well reproduced by simple dynamical models of an isolated vortex embedded in a background shear flow. From the time series of the aspect ratio and inclination of the vortex values are estimated for the background shear and the mean vorticity of the Great Dark Spot, and a lower bound is placed on the value of the Rossby deformation radius. These models imply the existence of a planetary-scale zone of deterministic chaotic advection in the atmosphere of Neptune.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Latitudinal and Longitudinal Oscillations of Cloud Features on Neptune.
L. A. SROMOVSKY (1991)
Science 254, 684-686
   Abstract »    PDF »
Celestial Mechanics on a Microscopic Scale.
T. UZER, D. FARRELLY, J. A. MILLIGAN, PAUL. E. RAINES, and J. P. SKELTON (1991)
Science 253, 42-48
   Abstract »    PDF »


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