Cassini and VLA Saturn composite (IMAGE)

University of California - Berkeley

Cassini and VLA Saturn composite

Caption

In the optical, Saturn's banded atmosphere appears to smoothly shift from color to color. But seen here in radio light — VLA data overlays a Cassini image of Saturn — the distinct nature of the bands is apparent. Scientists used VLA data to better understand ammonia in the gas giant's atmosphere and learned that megastorms transport the ammonia from the upper to the lower atmosphere.

Credit

S. Dagnello (NRAO/AUI/NSF), I. de Pater et al (UC Berkeley)

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