Jupiter and Saturn's Polar Vortexes Reveal Clues About Interior Composition

The starkly different polar weather patterns of Jupiter and Saturn may hold the key to unraveling the mysteries of their gaseous interiors.

Observations from NASA’s Juno and Cassini missions reveal Jupiter’s north pole hosts a central vortex surrounded by eight smaller vortices, while Saturn’s north pole features a single hexagonal vortex 18,000 miles wide.

A new study by MIT researchers suggests these surface configurations are linked to the physical properties of subsurface gas layers.

Using computational fluid dynamics simulations, the team demonstrated that softer gas at the vortex base allows multiple vortices to form (as seen on Jupiter), whereas harder gas supports a single large vortex (as observed on Saturn).

This distinction between 'hardness' of vortex bases and interior metallicity is critical: Jupiter’s interior appears less metal-enriched than Saturn’s, affecting atmospheric stratification patterns.

The simulations align with Juno and Cassini data, which provided observational context for the models.

"I don't think anyone’s made this connection between the surface fluid pattern and the interior properties of these planets. One possible scenario could be that Saturn has a harder bottom than Jupiter,"

notes Wanying Kang of MIT. The research represents a methodological shift from observational astronomy to computational modeling, offering a framework to interpret planetary interiors through atmospheric dynamics.

However, the authors caution that further data from future missions will be required to validate these findings.