Researchers from the University of California conducted a detailed study of thunderstorm activity on Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, using data collected by the "Juno" probe. During the analysis, they correlated the radio emissions of lightning with visual observations, which allowed them to establish the actual strength of electrical discharges in Jupiter's hydrogen atmosphere. The results showed that the average power of lightning on this planet is 100 times greater than on Earth, and in some cases, the discharges can be up to a million times stronger than the most powerful lightning on Earth.
Electrification of lightning. Although the mechanisms of lightning formation on Jupiter and Earth are similar, the conditions on the giant are significantly more extreme. Charge accumulates as a result of collisions between ice crystals and supercooled water droplets, which are lifted by powerful updrafts. However, due to the thickness of the cloud layer on Jupiter, which is ten times greater than that on Earth, charge separation occurs over larger distances, creating a colossal potential difference and explaining the occurrence of powerful discharges.
Observations of thunderstorms on Jupiter are complicated by dense clouds, making it difficult to visualize phenomena in the visible spectrum. Michael Wong, the lead researcher of the study published in AGU Advances, emphasized that the microwave instruments on "Juno" allowed them to overcome this limitation by detecting radio pulses directly from the sources.
Image of a vortex near Jupiter's north pole, where NASA's "Juno" mission recorded the glow from a lightning strike. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS
In 2021 and 2022, during a lull in Jupiter's northern equatorial belt, astronomers were able to isolate signals from individual "invisible superstorms." These storms can last for months, and although their clouds do not always reach significant heights, the frequency of lightning in them can reach three pulses per second. An analysis of more than six hundred recorded signals confirmed that even ordinary discharges on Jupiter are comparable to rare superbolts on Earth.
The Energy of the Hydrogen Giant
The difference in lightning power is explained by the unique characteristics of the atmospheric composition of the planets. On Earth, the atmosphere is primarily composed of heavy nitrogen, which facilitates the easy rise of moist air and the formation of convection. In contrast, Jupiter is dominated by light hydrogen, while water vapor is heavier, creating barriers to vertical air flows. For a storm to rise to the upper layers, a tremendous amount of thermal energy must be accumulated.
When this occurs, the released energy leads to the formation of a storm over 100 kilometers high and extreme electrical discharges. Currently, scientists continue to seek answers to the question of what exactly determines such power: the chemical composition of the atmosphere or the gigantic size of the cloud systems.
The article "Lightning on Jupiter is a million times more powerful than on Earth" was first published on the K-News website.
