A New Model for Understanding Jupiter's Climate

Climate patterns and storms on Jupiter can have striking similarities to those on Earth. One such pattern is a four-year temperature cycle in the Jovian upper atmosphere called the QQO.

This cycle has a little sibling in Earth's stratosphere that can influence the transport of aerosols and the formation of hurricanes, making it an active area of climate research. Now, scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have developed a new model for understanding Jupiter's QQO, and it could lead to a better climate model for Earth.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Dan Gallagher (USRA)

Music provided by Killer Tracks: "Lights," "Times Waits," "The Space Between"

Visualization Credits:
Richard Cosentino (USRA): Scientist
Amy A. Simon (NASA): Science Advisor
Dan Gallagher (USRA): Producer
Trent L. Schindler (USRA): Lead Visualizer
Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC): Visualizer
Elizabeth Zubritsky (ADNET Systems, Inc.): Science Writer
John Caldwell (AIMM): Videographer
Rob Andreoli (AIMM): Support