Lecture 11: Jovian Planets Overview

Jovian Planets

Gas giants larger than Earth with low density.

Cassini Mission

Studied Saturn for 13 years, launched in 1997.

Huygens Probe

Deployed to study Saturn's moon, Titan.

Jovian Composition

Jupiter and Saturn mostly hydrogen and helium.

Uranus and Neptune Composition

<50% hydrogen and helium, more hydrogen compounds.

Frost Line

Boundary where ice can form in the solar nebula.

Jovian Core Mass

All cores ~10 times Earth mass.

Solar Wind

Blows away gas, affecting planet formation timing.

Jovian Planet Density

Jupiter is 3x more massive than Saturn.

No Solid Surface

Jovian planets consist of gas layers only.

Weight on Other Planets

Weight varies due to different gravitational forces.

Metallic Hydrogen

Conducts electricity, exists under extreme pressure.

Jovian Rotation

Rapid rotation: ~10 hours for Jupiter and Saturn.

Jupiter's Magnetic Field

Generated by rotating metallic hydrogen layer.

Jupiter's Weather

High wind speeds and long-lasting storms.

Great Red Spot

Storm on Jupiter, twice Earth's width, 300 years old.

Jupiter's Atmosphere

Layers of clouds formed by hydrogen compounds.

Methane on Uranus and Neptune

Absorbs red light, reflects blue, giving blue appearance.

Saturn's Colors

Deeper layers lead to more subdued colors.

Aurorae on Jupiter

Visible UV images reveal energetic atmospheric phenomena.

Planetary Moons

Jovian planets have numerous natural satellites.

Jovian Rings

All jovian planets possess ring systems.

Cloud Composition

Different layers correspond to freezing points of compounds.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

Captured color images of Jupiter and Neptune.

Titan

Largest moon of Saturn, studied by Huygens probe.

Planetary Formation Timing

Earlier formation leads to more gas accumulation.

Density of Liquid Water

Approximately 1 g/cm³, used for comparison.

Compression Effects

More massive planets have deeper layer boundaries.

Clouds of Ammonium Hydrosulfide

Reflect red/brown colors in Jupiter's atmosphere.