New Insights into Jupiter's Great Red Spot Formation Time and Theory Update
TapTechNews June 22nd news. One of the current consensuses in astronomy about Jupiter's Great Red Spot is that it was first observed by humans in 1665, while the latest research believes that the formation time of the Great Red Spot can only be traced back to 1831.
TapTechNews note: The Great Red Spot of Jupiter is a characteristic sign on Jupiter's surface, it is the largest storm vortex on Jupiter, about 25,000 kilometers in length and 12,000 kilometers in vertical span. It rotates counterclockwise every 6 Earth days and often卷扬s up clouds as high as 8 kilometers.
The roaring wind gallops at a speed of 280 miles per hour (about 450 kilometers per hour), and its signature red color comes from chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
It is currently widely believed in astronomy that it was Giovanni Cassini who first observed it in 1665, but the new research believes that the spot Cassini observed may be different from the vortex currently seen.
Cassini first reported a dark elliptical spot in 1665 and named it the Permanent Spot.
However, this spot disappeared after 1713 and did not reappear until 1831, when it was named the Great Red Spot.
Led by Professor Sanchez-Lavega of the University of the Basque Country in Spain, the research team carefully analyzed historical observation records and modern scientific data, and concluded that the Permanent Spot and the Great Red Spot are not the same storm, and now the Great Red Spot has only a 193-year history.
The researchers also proposed a new theory of the formation of the Great Red Spot. The traditional theory believes that the Great Red Spot is formed by the merger of multiple smaller vortices or a super storm, while the latest theory believes that it is the result of the disturbance of the jet flows in the areas on its north and south sides.
If based on the new theory, the lifespan of the Great Red Spot is only 200 years, meaning that in 7 years this Great Red Spot may also disappear.