News Planetary Science

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot explained

Vertical gas flow may be key to massive storm’s longevity

SUPER SWIRLER  Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, which has a diameter twice that of Earth’s, has been churning since at least the 1830s. A new computer simulation explains the massive storm’s longevity.

JPL-Caltech/NASA

By Gabriel Popkin

- More than 2 years ago

Gases flowing vertically from the top and bottom of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot keep the huge storm swirling, according to a new mathematical simulation.