Figure 36.24 Galileo probe wind experiment.

Illustration of the variation with depth of the strong eastward winds at the probe entry site. As seen in this figure, winds just below the cloud tops were found to be as strong as the strongest winds observed by the Hubble Space Telescope at this site. These strong winds persisted and even increased with depth until the end of the probe's radio transmissions. Previous studies of Jupiter's cloud-top motions have shown a very unusual wind system consisting of strong eastward and westward jet streams alternating with latitude, quite unlike Earth's wind system. The Galileo probe's observations have now provided the third dimension to the winds at one location and show that the wind system at the probe entry site is deep. Initial interpretation of these observations suggests that Jupiter's internal heat source, rather than heating by sunlight, plays the major role in generating the observed winds. Further theoretical work and computer simulations are needed, however, to understand this important observation by the Galileo probe fully. (NASA/Ames)

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