This improved color and contrast view of vortices on Jupiter was created by Brian Swift utilizing raw JunoCam image information. At the time the raw image was taken, the Juno spacecraft was about 15,600 miles (25,100 kilometers) above Jupiters cloud tops, at a latitude of about 84 degrees. Credit: Image information: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/ MSSS, Image processing by Brian Swift © CC BY
This boosted color and contrast view of vortices on Jupiter was developed by Brian Swift using raw JunoCam image information. At the time the raw image was taken, the Juno spacecraft had to do with 15,600 miles (25,100 kilometers) above Jupiters cloud tops, at a latitude of about 84 degrees. Credit: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/ MSSS, Image processing by Brian Swift © CC BY
NASAs Juno spacecraft just recently recorded this striking view of vortices– hurricane-like spiral wind patterns– near Jupiters north pole. It took place as NASAs Juno mission finished its 43rd close flyby of Jupiter on July 5, 2022, and the image information was captured by the JunoCam instrument.
These powerful Jovian storms can be over 30 miles (50 kilometers) in height and numerous miles across. Figuring out how they form is key to comprehending Jupiters environment, along with the fluid characteristics and cloud chemistry that generate the planets other climatic functions.
Researchers are particularly thinking about the vortices differing sizes, colors, and shapes. Cyclones, which turn counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern, and anti-cyclones, which spin clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere, exhibit extremely different colors and shapes.
Jovian Vortex Hunter, a NASA resident science task, looks for assistance from volunteer members of the public to spot and help categorize vortices and other atmospheric phenomena visible in JunoCam photos of Jupiter. As of July 2022, 2,404 volunteers had made 376,725 classifications utilizing the Jovian Vortex Hunter task site.
Brian Swift, a citizen researcher, developed this enhanced color and contrast view of vortices utilizing raw JunoCam image information. At the time the raw image was taken, the Juno spacecraft had to do with 15,600 miles (25,100 kilometers) above Jupiters cloud tops, at a latitude of about 84 degrees.
JunoCams raw images are available for the general public to browse and process into image items at https://missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam/processing. More details about NASA citizen science can be discovered at https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscience and https://www.nasa.gov/solve/opportunities/citizenscience.