Oral comunication
M. Silva, P. Machado, A. Sánchez-Lavega, J. Peralta
Abstract
We will present final Doppler wind velocity results of Saturn’s zonal flow at cloud level. Our aim is to study the planet’s global system of winds at the 70 mbar region, to help constraining the characterization of the equatorial jet and the latitudinal variation of the zonal winds, to measure its spatial and temporal variability and to contribute to monitor the variability in order to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics of Saturn’s zonal winds, which Sánchez-Lavega et al. (2003, Nature, 423, 623) have found to have changed strongly in recent years. They have reported a decrease of 200 m/s of the speed of Saturn’s equatorial zonal jet from 1996 (450 m/s) to 2002 (250 m/s), as the planet approached southern summer solstice. Finally, the complementarity with Cassini, whose “grand finale” is planned for September this year, will provide an independent set of observations to compare with and help validate the method.
European Planetary Science Congress 2017
Riga, Latvija
2017 September
