Does a magnetic field accompany Jupiter's Great Red Spot?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether a magnetic field is associated with Jupiter's Great Red Spot. Participants explore various perspectives on the nature of the Great Red Spot, its similarities to terrestrial storms, and the implications for understanding magnetic fields in planetary atmospheres.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants inquire about references to support the claim that the Great Red Spot has a magnetic field, linking it to their own theories on magnetic fields in astrophysical contexts.
  • Others argue that there is no evidence of a magnetic connection to the Great Red Spot, citing sources that do not mention magnetism in relation to the phenomenon.
  • One participant compares the Great Red Spot to Earth storms, suggesting that it behaves similarly and may not involve magnetic fields.
  • Another participant notes that while thunderstorms on Earth have associated magnetic and electric fields, it does not necessarily imply that Jupiter's Great Red Spot shares this characteristic.
  • Some mention the existence of a powerful magnetic field around Jupiter, but express skepticism about its relation to the Great Red Spot specifically.
  • A participant references a geophysics book that claims the Great Red Spot is accompanied by a strong magnetic field, but this assertion is met with skepticism and calls for further evidence.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the lack of observable lightning or auroral activity in the Great Red Spot, which some argue undermines the idea of a significant magnetic field in that region.
  • There is a discussion about the ongoing study of Jupiter and the limitations of current knowledge regarding its atmospheric phenomena.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the existence of a magnetic field associated with the Great Red Spot. Multiple competing views remain, with some asserting a lack of evidence for magnetism while others reference literature that suggests otherwise.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the definitions and implications of magnetic fields in relation to the Great Red Spot, and there are references to unresolved claims and the need for further research.

ZX.Liang
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If yes, could you please give me a reference documentation?

I am an astrophysical amateur. We have published a paper on the frozen-in field lines concept (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0136936), and are trying to explain the origin of the magnetic field of the sunspots using our new theory. We hope that the magnetic field of Jupiter's Great Red Spot can be used to verify our point of view.
 
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ZX.Liang said:
If yes, could you please give me a reference documentation?

I am an astrophysical amateur. We have published a paper on the frozen-in field lines concept (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0136936), and are trying to explain the origin of the magnetic field of the sunspots using our new theory. We hope that the magnetic field of Jupiter's Great Red Spot can be used to verify our point of view.

I don't think the Spot is magnetic. It is pretty much the same as an Earth storm. Sunspots occur when plasma tubes pass through the surface of the Sun. To me they seem quite different.
 
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Hornbein said:
It is pretty much the same as an Earth storm.
Except it seems to be a high pressure system, (anticyclonic), whereas storms on Earth are cyclones.
What it does share with anticyclones on Earth is that it's quite stable and durable.
 
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rootone said:
Except it seems to be a high pressure system, (anticyclonic), whereas storms on Earth are cyclones.
What it does share with anticyclones on Earth is that it's quite stable and durable.

Yeah, but as far as magnetism goes it doesn't matter. It's still a vortex of neutral material.
 
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Hornbein said:
Yeah, but as far as magnetism goes it doesn't matter. It's still a vortex of neutral material.
Sure, nothing suggests it has anything to do with a magnetic field.
 
I have a book (1016 pages) named Evolution of the Earth. It is an academic book on geophysics and published in 1996.

In this book, the origin of magnetic field of the Earth and planets was discussed. On the magnetic field of the great red spot, the author wrote only one sentence: "It has been known that the great red spot is a huge vortex and accompanied by a very strong magnetic field."

I hope get more reference on this problem, but the contact to the author has been fruitless.

I hope someone here can recognizethis opinion.
 
  • #10
davenn said:
It's all Chinese or Japanese ... unreadable
I am trying to get some info in English. I am semi illiterate in English.
 
  • #11
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  • #12
Have you researched the book's author to see if perhaps he published some papers on the giant red spot?
 
  • #13
jedishrfu said:
Have you researched the book's author to see if perhaps he published some papers on the giant red spot?
A moment ago, I contacted with the author's wife and will contact him soon. This author is an interesting person. He has neither email nor mobile phone. He published three books on the geophysics in Chinese. He didn't publish any paper in English. I think his academic level is very high, but I'm not sure if he's right in this point.
 
  • #14
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  • #15
I have contacted the author.

Fruitless.

He has forgotten the source.
 
  • #16
Dotini said:
Thunderstorms are found to be an energy source of the Great Red Spot.
http://www.caltech.edu/news/thunderstorms-found-be-energy-source-jupiters-great-red-spot-379

Magnetic and electric fields are present in thunderstorms on Earth. So if those on Jupiter are pretty much the same, they too will have electric and magnetic fields.
The thunderstorm magnetic field mentioned in that report is not the magnetic field concerned.

I focus on the unitary magnetic field as the one of the sunspot.

Thank you.
 
  • #17
ZX.Liang said:
The thunderstorm magnetic field mentioned in that report is not the magnetic field concerned.

I focus on the unitary magnetic field as the one of the sunspot.

Thank you.
Jupiter has a powerful magnetic field, with strong auroral activity at the poles. It has powerful radiation belts similar to the Van Allen belts around Earth. In addition to the Great Red Spot it has Lesser Red Spots. Lightning is observed in thunderstorms around these "spots". But lightning is not observed in the spots, nor do we see auroral activity. We do not know a whole lot about Jupiter, and its study is ongoing. Despite a search of the literature, sacred and profane, I find no evidence which would indicate a unitary magnetic field common to the Red Spot(s). Jupiter is probably not the place to confirm your "frozen-in field line" concept.

In the abstract to your paper I see this: "The main purpose of this work is to correct a fallacy among some astrophysicists.":nb)
 
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  • #18
Dotini said:
Jupiter has a powerful magnetic field, with strong auroral activity at the poles. It has powerful radiation belts similar to the Van Allen belts around Earth. In addition to the Great Red Spot it has Lesser Red Spots. Lightning is observed in thunderstorms around these "spots". But lightning is not observed in the spots, nor do we see auroral activity. We do not know a whole lot about Jupiter, and its study is ongoing. Despite a search of the literature, sacred and profane, I find no evidence which would indicate a unitary magnetic field common to the Red Spot(s). Jupiter is probably not the place to confirm your "frozen-in field line" concept.

In the abstract to your paper I see this: "The main purpose of this work is to correct a fallacy among some astrophysicists.":nb)

Currently, the plasma of the Sun is considered to be electroneutral. In our published paper, we have proven this is fallacy.
 
  • #19
Dotini said:
Jupiter has a powerful magnetic field, with strong auroral activity at the poles. It has powerful radiation belts similar to the Van Allen belts around Earth. In addition to the Great Red Spot it has Lesser Red Spots. Lightning is observed in thunderstorms around these "spots". But lightning is not observed in the spots, nor do we see auroral activity. We do not know a whole lot about Jupiter, and its study is ongoing. Despite a search of the literature, sacred and profane, I find no evidence which would indicate a unitary magnetic field common to the Red Spot(s). Jupiter is probably not the place to confirm your "frozen-in field line" concept.

In the abstract to your paper I see this: "The main purpose of this work is to correct a fallacy among some astrophysicists.":nb)
In current pulsar electrodynamics (Goldreich & Julian 1969), pulsar's magnetosphere particles are considered to be frozen with the magnetic field lines and corotating with neutron star. In our paper, this has been proven to be also a fallacy. In our paper, beside theoretical analysis, we also used experiments to support our conclusion.
Now, we cannot sure that a unitary magnetic field was detected in the great red spot and Gai's viewpoint maybe a mistake. But this cannot negate that a unitary magnetic field is really exist in the great red spot. Perhaps, the unitary magnetic field is too weak to current detection or no one once detected that magnetic field.
 
  • #20
If our viewpoint is correct and the plasma of the Sun is really non-electroneutral, the magnetic field of sunspots can be simply interpreted without complex theory such as magnetic tube. If a unitary magnetic field can be detected in the great red spot, our viewpoint can be affirmed further. Just because of this, I ask for help here.
 
  • #21
Dotini said:
Jupiter is probably not the place to confirm your "frozen-in field line" concept.

The "frozen-in field line" concept is not our concept. The founder is Alfven. Our viewpoint is negative.
 
  • #22
Remanent magnetic fields are now thought to be associated with "painted swirls", weathering features on the surface of the moon - a place much easier to study than Jupiter. Perhaps this is near enough to the subject question to warrant a look?
https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/XqmPupob0MmVOyGPCcazmQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW15O3E9NzU7dz01MjA7c209MQ--/http://slingstone.zenfs.com/offnetwork/3528885b2373fbde49918093d77b745b

https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/what-made-painted-swirls-moons-surface
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103515005096
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015JA021027/full
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015JE004865/full
 
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  • #23
Dotini said:
Remanent magnetic fields are now thought to be associated with "painted swirls", weathering features on the surface of the moon - a place much easier to study than Jupiter. Perhaps this is near enough to the subject question to warrant a look?
https://s.yimg.com/lo/api/res/1.2/XqmPupob0MmVOyGPCcazmQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW15O3E9NzU7dz01MjA7c209MQ--/http://slingstone.zenfs.com/offnetwork/3528885b2373fbde49918093d77b745b

https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/what-made-painted-swirls-moons-surface
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103515005096
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015JA021027/full
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015JE004865/full

thank you.
 
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  • #24
1-jupiter.jpg

Plenty of magnetic field to study.
 
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