Prevalent lightning sferics at 600 megahertz near Jupiter's poles
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11320%2F18%3A10389427" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11320/18:10389427 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/68378289:_____/18:00490137
Result on the web
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0156-5" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0156-5</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0156-5" target="_blank" >10.1038/s41586-018-0156-5</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
Prevalent lightning sferics at 600 megahertz near Jupiter's poles
Original language description
Lightning has been detected on Jupiter by all visiting spacecraft through night-side optical imaging and whistler (lightning-generated radio waves) signatures(1-6). Jovian lightning is thought to be generated in the mixed-phase (liquid-ice) region of convective water clouds through a charge-separation process between condensed liquid water and water-ice particles, similar to that of terrestrial (cloud-to-cloud) lightning(7-9). Unlike terrestrial lightning, which emits broadly over the radio spectrum up to gigahertz frequencies(10,11),lightning on Jupiter has been detected only at kilohertz frequencies, despite a search for signals in the megahertz range(12). Strong ionospheric attenuation or a lightning discharge much slower than that on Earth have been suggested as possible explanations for this discrepancy(13,14). Here we report observations of Jovian lightning sferics (broadband electromagnetic impulses) at 600 megahertz from the Microwave Radiometer(15) onboard the Juno spacecraft. These detections imply that Jovian lightning discharges are not distinct from terrestrial lightning, as previously thought. In the first eight orbits of Juno, we detected 377 lightning sferics from pole to pole. We found lightning to be prevalent in the polar regions, absent near the equator, and most frequent in the northern hemisphere, at latitudes higher than 40 degrees north. Because the distribution of lightning is a proxy for moist convective activity, which is thought to be an important source of outward energy transport from the interior of the planet(16,17,) increased convection towards the poles could indicate an outward internal heat flux that is preferentially weighted towards the poles(9,16,18). The distribution of moist convection is important for understanding the composition, general circulation and energy transport on Jupiter.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10305 - Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics)
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/LTAUSA17070" target="_blank" >LTAUSA17070: Electromagnetic waves in planetary ionospheres and magnetospheres</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2018
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
Nature
ISSN
0028-0836
e-ISSN
—
Volume of the periodical
558
Issue of the periodical within the volume
7708
Country of publishing house
GB - UNITED KINGDOM
Number of pages
9
Pages from-to
87-90
UT code for WoS article
000434273300041
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85048238051