Dynamics of Saturn's South Polar Vortex
Abstract
The camera onboard the Cassini spacecraft has allowed us to observe many of Saturn's cloud features. We present observations of Saturn's south polar vortex (SPV) showing that it shares some properties with terrestrial hurricanes: cyclonic circulation, warm central region (the eye) surrounded by a ring of high clouds (the eye wall), and convective clouds outside the eye. The polar location and the absence of an ocean are major differences. It also shares properties with the polar vortices on Venus, such as polar location, cyclonic circulation, warm center, and long lifetime, but the Venus vortices have cold collars and are not associated with convective clouds. The SPV's combination of properties is unique among vortices in the solar system
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High resolution images showed a polar vortex at the South pole with a dark eye surrounded by fast moving white clouds at −88° planetocentric.
“High resolution images showed a polar vortex [ Sánchez-Lavega et al., 2006] with a dark eye surrounded by fast moving white clouds at -88º planetocentric [ Dyudina et al. , 2008].”
From Dynamics of Saturn's polar regions (2015) · cites this paper as Dyudina et al., 2008
Saturn's stratospheric polar vortices extend ~15° latitude away from the pole.
“These vortices, which extend ~15° latitude away from the pole, are bounded by a strong latitudinal temperature gradient and are distinct from the compact, seasonally independent polar cyclones present in the troposphere5–10.”
From A hexagon in Saturn's northern stratosphere surrounding the emerging summertime polar vortex (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
Saturn's stratospheric polar vortices are distinct from the compact, seasonally independent polar cyclones present in the troposphere.
“These vortices, which extend ~15° latitude away from the pole, are bounded by a strong latitudinal temperature gradient and are distinct from the compact, seasonally independent polar cyclones present in the troposphere5–10.”
From A hexagon in Saturn's northern stratosphere surrounding the emerging summertime polar vortex (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
Saturn's stratospheric polar vortices are bounded by a strong latitudinal temperature gradient.
“These vortices, which extend ~15° latitude away from the pole, are bounded by a strong latitudinal temperature gradient and are distinct from the compact, seasonally independent polar cyclones present in the troposphere5–10.”
From A hexagon in Saturn's northern stratosphere surrounding the emerging summertime polar vortex (2018) · cites this paper as [7]
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Self-citationSouth-polar features on Venus similar to those near the north pole
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Saturn’s zonal wind profile in 2004–2009 from Cassini ISS images and its long-term variability
García-Melendo, E., Pérez-Hoyos, S., Sánchez-Lavega, A., & Hueso, R. (2011) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.07.005 · Cited by 122 · see citing works
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A hexagon in Saturn's northern stratosphere surrounding the emerging summertime polar vortex
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Self-citationDynamics of Saturn's polar regions
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“156 [Dyudina et al., 2008; Del Genio et al., 2009].”
BackgroundSeasonal evolution of Saturn’s polar temperatures and composition
Fletcher, L. N., Irwin, P. G. J., Sinclair, J. A., Orton, G. S., Giles, R. S., Hurley, J., Gorius, N., Achterberg, R. K., Hesman, B. E., & Bjoraker, G. L. (2015) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2014.11.022 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Self-citationCassini ISS observation of Saturn’s north polar vortex and comparison to the south polar vortex
Sayanagi, K. M., Blalock, J. J., Dyudina, U. A., Ewald, S. P., & Ingersoll, A. P. (2017) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2016.12.011 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Self-citationHaze and cloud structure of Saturn's North Pole and Hexagon Wave from Cassini/ISS imaging
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Saturn's global zonal winds explored by Cassini/VIMS 5-μm images
Studwell, A., Li, L., Jiang, X., Baines, K. H., Fry, P. M., Momary, T. W., & Dyudina, U. A. (2018) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2018gl078139 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Dyudina, U. A., Ingersoll, A. P., Ewald, S. P., Vasavada, A. R., West, R. A., Del Genio, A. D., Barbara, J. M., Porco, C. C., Achterberg, R. K., Flasar, F. M., Simon-Miller, A. A., & Fletcher, L. N.
- Affiliations
- Goddard Institute for Space Studies (US)
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
- Corresponding author
- Dyudina, Ulyana A.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2008-03-28
- Volume
- 319
- Issue
- 5871
- Pages
- 1801-1801
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2075317111
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Keywords
- Saturn, polar vortex, cyclonic circulation, eyewall, convective clouds, planetary atmospheres
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