Storm's Dynamic Nature Revealed
's recent observations show Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) not only shrinking but also oscillating in size and shape over a 90-day period, challenging previous assumptions of its stability.
The GRS, an anticyclone large enough to swallow Earth, exhibits a behavior akin to a "slug," contracting and stretching as it moves, with no current hydrodynamic explanations for this phenomenon.
Insights and Predictions
As the GRS accelerates and decelerates, it interacts with Jupiter's mighty jet streams, causing the storm to bulge and contract, akin to a sandwich being squeezed.
Researchers predict the GRS will stabilize as it continues to shrink, fitting within its latitude band, but the exact mechanics behind its oscillatory behavior remain an open question for future study.