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Title:
Ground-based observations of Saturn's north polar SPOT and hexagon
Authors:
Sanchez-Lavega, A.; Lecacheux, J.; Colas, F.; Laques, P.
Affiliation:
AA(Univ. del Pais Vasco, Bilbao, Spain), AB(Paris, Observatoire, Meudon, France), AC(Bureau des Longitudes, Paris, France), AD(Observatoire du Pic-du-Midi, Bagneres-de-Bigorre, France)
Publication:
Science (ISSN 0036-8075), vol. 260, no. 5106, p. 329-332. (Sci Homepage)
Publication Date:
04/1993
Category:
Lunar and Planetary Exploration; Saturn
Origin:
STI
NASA/STI Keywords:
Clouds (Meteorology), Planetary Atmospheres, Polar Regions, Saturn (Planet), Space Observations (From Earth), Drift Rate, Latitude, Longitude, Planetary Rotation, Position (Location)
LPI Keywords:
SATURN, EARTH-BASED OBSERVATIONS, POLAR REGION, SURFACE, FEATURES, MOTION, LONGITUDE, LATITUDE, POSITION (LOCATION), LIFETIME, HEATING, SEASONAL VARIATIONS, ATMOSPHERE, CLOUDS, LAYERS, CCD METHODS
DOI:
10.1126/science.260.5106.329
Bibliographic Code:
1993Sci...260..329S

Abstract

Ground-based observations of two conspicuous features near the north pole of Saturn, the polar vortex and the hexagonal wave structure, were made from July 1990 to October 1991, 10 yrs after their discovery. During this period the polar spot drifted in longitude, relative to system III, by -0.0353 deg/day on average. Superimposed on this mean motion, the spot also underwent short-term rapid excursions in longitude of up to about 14 deg at rates of up to about 1 deg/day. The spot also exhibited irregular variations in its latitude location. A combination of these data together with those obtained by Voyager 1 and 2 in 1980 and 1981 shows that the spot drifted -0.0577 deg/day for the 11-yr interval from 1980 to 1991. The large lifetime of both features indicates that they are insensitive to the strong variations in the seasonal heating of the cloud layers in the upper polar atmosphere.
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