ASTR 103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Metallic Hydrogen, Roche Limit, Tidal Locking
18 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Each is composed of 71% h, 24% he and 5% all other elements by mass. Both planets have a higher percentage of heavy elements than does the sun. Unlike the terrestrial planets, jupiter and saturn exhibit differential rotation. The rapid rotation of the planets twists the clouds into dark belts and light zones that run parallel to the equator. The outer layers of both planets" atmospheres show differential rotation. ~ the equatorial regions rotate slightly faster than the polar regions. For both jupiter and saturn, the polar rotation rate is nearly the same as the internal rotation rate. The colored ovals visible in the jovian atmosphere represent gigantic storms. Spacecraft images show remarkable activity in the clouds of jupiter and saturn. Both jupiter and saturn emit more energy than they receive from the sun. Some, such as the great red spot, are quite stable and persist for many years. Storms in saturn"s atmosphere seem to be shorter-lived.
