Neptune is cooler than we thought: Study reveals unexpected changes in atmospheric temperatures
Credit: © Media Whalestock / stock.adobe.comNew research led by space scientists at the University of Leicester has revealed how temperatures in Neptune's atmosphere have unexpectedly fluctuated over the past two decades., used observations in thermal-infrared wavelengths beyond the visible light spectrum, effectively sensing heat emitted from the planet's atmosphere.
But to the researchers' surprise, these collective datasets show a decline in Neptune's thermal brightness since reliable thermal imaging began in 2003, indicating that globally-averaged temperatures in Neptune's stratosphere -- the layer of the atmosphere just above its active weather layer -- have dropped by roughly 8 degrees Celsius between 2003 and 2018.
Yet, at Neptune's south pole, the data reveal a different and surprisingly dramatic change. A combination of observations from Gemini North in 2019 and Subaru in 2020 reveal that Neptune's polar stratosphere warmed by roughly 11?C between 2018 and 2020, reversing the previous globally-averaged cooling trend. Such polar warming has never been observed on Neptune before.
The 11-year solar cycle has been previously suggested to affect Neptune's visible brightness, and the new study reveals a possible, but tentative, correlation between the solar activity, stratospheric temperatures, and the number of bright clouds seen on Neptune. Leigh Fletcher, Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, will lead such observations with allocated time of JWST's suite of instruments. Professor Fletcher, also a co-author on this study, said:
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