Atmospheric dynamics of Uranus and Neptune: Theoretical considerations

Abstract

Uranus, because of its pole-on orientation and low internal heat source, is in a dynamically different atmospheric regime from Jupiter and Saturn. Neptune resembles Jupiter and Saturn in orientation and internal heating, but its extremely long radiative time constant puts Neptune in a different class. Voyager observations of seasonal temperature gradients, equator-to-pole temperature gradients, infrared emission, Bond albedo, possible cloud structures (bands, spots, eddies), and cloud motions should greatly improve our ability to classify planetary atmospheres according to their dynamical regimes.

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