The DOI matches its Crossref record; 25 of the 25 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
An equatorial oscillation in Saturn's middle atmosphere
Abstract
The middle atmospheres of planets are driven by a combination of radiative heating and cooling, mean meridional motions, and vertically propagating waves (which originate in the deep troposphere). It is very difficult to model these effects and, therefore, observations are essential to advancing our understanding of atmospheres. The equatorial stratospheres of Earth and Jupiter oscillate quasi-periodically on timescales of about two and four years, respectively, driven by wave-induced momentum transport. On Venus and Titan, waves originating from surface-atmosphere interaction and inertial instability are thought to drive the atmosphere to rotate more rapidly than the surface (superrotation). However, the relevant wave modes have not yet been precisely identified. Here we report infrared observations showing that Saturn has an equatorial oscillation like those found on Earth and Jupiter, as well as a mid-latitude subsidence that may be associated with the equatorial motion. The latitudinal extent of Saturn's oscillation shows that it obeys the same basic physics as do those on Earth and Jupiter. Future highly resolved observations of the temperature profile together with modelling of these three different atmospheres will allow us determine the wave mode, the wavelength and the wave amplitude that lead to middle atmosphere oscillation.
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“as well as quasi-periodic thermal oscillations in the stratosphere that occur both in altitude and in time (Fouchet et al., 2008; Orton et al., 2008; Guerlet et al., 2018).”
From Saturn atmospheric dynamics one year after Cassini: Long-lived features and time variations in the drift of the Hexagon (2020) · cites this paper as Fouchet et al., 2008
In the citing paper
“the narrow and intense jet in the upper hazes and its temporal variations could be related to the equatorial thermal oscillations (Fouchet et al., 2008; Orton et al., 2008; Guerlet et al., 2018).”
From Saturn atmospheric dynamics one year after Cassini: Long-lived features and time variations in the drift of the Hexagon (2020) · cites this paper as Fouchet et al., 2008
Citations
Cites
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The quasiquadrennial oscillation of Jupiter's equatorial stratosphere
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An intense stratospheric jet on Jupiter
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Orton, G. S., Friedson, A. J., Baines, K. H., Martin, T. Z., West, R. A., Caldwell, J., Hammel, H. B., Bergstralh, J. T., Malcom, M. E., Golisch, W. F., et al. (1991) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.252.5005.537 · Cited by 104
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 101–115 of 115
Seasonal temperature variations in Saturn's stratosphere
Sylvestre, M., Guerlet, S., Fouchet, T., & Spiga, A. (2013) · HAL
Seasonal Variations of Hydrocarbons in Saturn's Stratosphere
Sinclair, J., Irwin, P. G. J., Fletcher, L. N., Hurley, J., & Merlet, C. (2011) · epsc
A new Global Climate Model for Saturn's stratosphere and perspectives for other gas giants
Spiga, A., Guerlet, S., Indurain, M., Sylvestre, M., Fouchet, T., Millour, E., Wordsworth, R., Leconte, J., Capdérou, M., Bézard, B., et al. (2014) · HAL
A new Global Climate Model to explore the rich dynamics of Saturn's stratosphere
Spiga, A., Guerlet, S., Sylvestre, M., Fouchet, T., Millour, E., Wordsworth, R., Leconte, J., & Forget, F. (2013) · HAL
(2018) · Facet eBooks · doi:10.29085/9781856049245.011
Atmospheric Dynamics of Giants and Icy Planets
Sánchez-Lavega, A., & Heimpel, M. H. (2024) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-30648-3_51-2
Sayanagi, K. M., Garland, J., & Saunders, W. (2025) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-96026-7.00224-1
Inner structure and atmospheric dynamics of gaseous giant planets
Debras, F. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/80fdd4e0ze53cz4978z9055z1db7ead5e1d1
Modélisation atmosphérique d'Uranus et Neptune : circulation et structure thermique
Milcareck, G. (2023) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/c3694e96z4fe5z4d2dz8ee7z21e5bfb4b442
Zeng, Y., Kang, W., Flierl, G. R., & Vallis, G. K. (2026) · The Planetary Science Journal · doi:10.3847/psj/ae6da7 · Cited by 1
“Despite these potential complexities, our results demonstrate that jet penetration depth can strongly influence surface wind patterns, suggesting that the interior structures of giant planets may be inferred from surface observations alone.”
The Dynamics of the Atmosphere of Saturn
Sánchez-Lavega, A. (2026) · doi:10.1093/9780197851500.003.0342
Variability of Saturn's Equatorial Zonal Winds at Cloud Level Between 2018 and 2025
Flix-Bellmunt, A., Sánchez-Lavega, A., Garcia‐Melendo, E., Hueso, R., Simon, A. A., Wong, M. H., Miró, A., & Barry, T. (2026) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2026gl121948
“Orton et al. (2008) and Fouchet et al. (2008) first reported a temperature oscillation in Saturn's equatorial stratosphere that shares similarities with the Jupiter Equatorial Stratospheric Oscillation (JESO) or the Semi‐Annual Oscillation (SAO) and Quasi‐Biennial Oscillation (QBO) on Earth.”
Saturn's Seasonally Changing Atmosphere: Thermal Structure, Composition and Aerosols
Fletcher, L. N., Greathouse, T. K., Moses, J. I., Guerlet, S., & West, R. A. (2015) · arXiv · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1510.05690 · Cited by 7
“Originally identified by Fouchet et al. (2008) and Orton et al. (2008) as temporally-evolving oscillations in the vertical and latitudinal temperature structure, the downward propagation of the wave structure has been studied by Cassini infrared spectroscopy and radio occultation data (Fletcher et…”
BackgroundMethodInfluential
Metadata
- Authors
- Fouchet, T., Guerlet, S., Strobel, D. F., Simon-Miller, A. A., Bézard, B., & Flasar, F. M.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Goddard Space Flight Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fouchet, T.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2008-05
- Volume
- 453
- Issue
- 7192
- Pages
- 200-202
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2043249054
- Cited by
- 115
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 5.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
- Keywords
- Saturn, middle atmosphere, stratosphere, vertically propagating waves, semiannual oscillation, seasonal forcing, superrotation, planetary atmospheres, infrared observations
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