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Science 25 February 2005:
Vol. 307. no. 5713, pp. 1243 - 1247
DOI: 10.1126/science.1107691
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Reports

Cassini Imaging Science: Initial Results on Saturn's Atmosphere

C. C. Porco,1* E. Baker,1 J. Barbara,2 K. Beurle,3 A. Brahic,4 J. A. Burns,5 S. Charnoz,4 N. Cooper,3 D. D. Dawson,6 A. D. Del Genio,2 T. Denk,7 L. Dones,8 U. Dyudina,9 M. W. Evans,3 B. Giese,10 K. Grazier,11 P. Helfenstein,5 A. P. Ingersoll,9 R. A. Jacobson,11 T. V. Johnson,11 A. McEwen,6 C. D. Murray,3 G. Neukum,7 W. M. Owen,11 J. Perry,6 T. Roatsch,10 J. Spitale,1 S. Squyres,5 P. Thomas,5 M. Tiscareno,5 E. Turtle,6 A. R. Vasavada,11 J. Veverka,5 R. Wagner,10 R. West11

The Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) began observing Saturn in early February 2004. From analysis of cloud motions through early October 2004, we report vertical wind shear in Saturn's equatorial jet and a maximum wind speed of ~375 meters per second, a value that differs from both Hubble Space Telescope and Voyager values. We also report a particularly active narrow southern mid-latitude region in which dark ovals are observed both to merge with each other and to arise from the eruptions of large, bright storms. Bright storm eruptions are correlated with Saturn's electrostatic discharges, which are thought to originate from lightning.

1 Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.
2 Goddard Institute for Space Studies, NASA, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025, USA.
3 Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK.
4 Centre d'Etudes de Saclay, Université Paris 7, L'Orme des Merisiers, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
5 Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Space Sciences Building, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
6 Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, 1629 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
7 Institut für Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universität, 12249 Berlin, Germany.
8 Department of Space Sciences, Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 400, Boulder, CO 80302, USA.
9 Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, 150-21, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
10 Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
11 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: carolyn{at}ciclops.org

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