On Saturn's six-sided polar jet stream

Abstract

We derive the nonlinear governing equations for stratified circumpolar atmospheric jet flow in Saturn's upper troposphere. An exact solution is obtained in the material (Lagrangian) framework, by specifying its hypotrochoidal particle paths. The resulting flow pattern presents a striking resemblance to the hexagonal jet stream structure observed near Saturn's North Pole.

KEYWORDS:

• Atmospheric flow
• nonlinear wave
• Lagrangian flow description

AMS SUBJECT CLASSIFICATIONS (2020):

• 86A10
• 35Q35

Acknowledgments

All data for this paper are properly cited and referred to: the relevant data can be found in Catling (2015), Dobrijevic et al. (2003) and Ingersoll (2020). The author is grateful for helpful comments from the referees.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [grant number Z 387-N].