The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20111020053039/http://library.thinkquest.org:80/C005921/Saturn/satuAtmo.htm
Quick Links
Home
Saturn Main
Location and Orbit
The Atmosphere and
Magnetosphere
The Surface
Interior and Physical Structure
Moons and Rings
Missions to Saturn
History Timeline
References & Links
Quiz |
Saturn: Atmosphere and Magnetosphere
Saturn�s clouds are less vivid and colorful than those of Jupiter. This is, perhaps, partially owing to the amount of sulfur in the atmosphere which creates Saturn�s yellow appearance. The stripes on the planet surface are the bands of winds that circle the planet. Like Jupiter, Saturn has three cloud decks and a smog haze above the troposphere.
Saturn�s atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of methane, ammonia, and other compounds. Molecular hydrogen forms 96.3% of the atmosphere, followed by helium at 3.25%. The remainder is divided between (in decreasing order) methane, methane, ammonia, hydrogen duteride, ethane, and possible aerosols of ammonia ice, water ice, and ammonia hydrosulfide.
The Magnetosphere
Like all gas giants, Saturn has a strong magnetosphere, extending beyond the orbits of Saturn�s moons. It is most likely generated in the same way as Jupiter�s�the metallic-hydrogen dynamo generating a powerful magnetic charge. Saturn's magnetosphere produces auroras, as well as strong radio emissions and whistler waves, also common to Uranus.
Copyright © 2000 by Gary Chan and Matthew McDermott. All rights reserved.
|