Deep rotating convection generates the polar hexagon on Saturn

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
• Main Authors: Yadav, Rakesh K., Bloxham, Jeremy
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: National Academy of Sciences 2020
• Subjects: Physical Sciences; North Pole
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7322008/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32513703; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2000317117

Numerous land- and space-based observations have established that Saturn has a persistent hexagonal flow pattern near its north pole. While observations abound, the physics behind its formation is still uncertain. Although several phenomenological models have been able to reproduce this feature, a self-consistent model for how such a large-scale polygonal jet forms in the highly turbulent atmosphere of Saturn is lacking. Here, we present a three-dimensional (3D) fully nonlinear anelastic simulation of deep thermal convection in the outer layers of gas giant planets that spontaneously generates giant polar cyclones, fierce alternating zonal flows, and a high-latitude eastward jet with a polygonal pattern. The analysis of the simulation suggests that self-organized turbulence in the form of giant vortices pinches the eastward jet, forming polygonal shapes. We argue that a similar mechanism is responsible for exciting Saturn’s hexagonal flow pattern.