Order from chaos: The atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn

Abstract

Being Earth-dwellers, we are used to planets with rocky, watery surfaces, encased in thin, blue atmospheres of nitrogen and oxygen marked by watery white clouds. Moderate winds, driven by sunlight and the planet's rotation, push ocean-born storms eastward across continents. There they spend their energy in blizzards, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and other short-lived outbursts. As they die, other storms are born and the cycle begins again.

Additional details