Abstract-
Using simple ideas of vortices and their interactions,
we predict an imminent, dramatic change in the jovian climate as part of a
70-year cycle. As part of this change most of Jupiter's
large vortices, similar to (but not including) the Great Red Spot, will
soon disappear due to vortex mergers.
This will cause global temperature
changes of
10 degrees which will de-stabilize the atmosphere. As a result,
within a decade, several of Jupiter's
westward
jet streams (there are 12) will form waves.
We predict the waves will grow, break, roll-up and re-populate
Jupiter with new vortices.
These dynamics should be visible from earth as the
break-up of a circumferential band of clouds into "spots'", and
the predicted temperature change should be observable in the IR by
ground-based
telescopes.
Our predictions are based on fundamental vortex dynamics, the chaotic
advection of heat by
semi-stable patterns of vortices, and the
consequences of disrupting the patterns. Earth
also has semi-stable, and easily disruptable,
configurations of vortices that control a variety of phenomena, ranging from
the steering winds for North Atlantic hurricanes to the
dipole pair responsible
for the recurring seasonal Aegean winds.
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