78th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (Nov 23 — 25, 2025)

P012: Laboratory infrared imaging of planetary-style turbulence

Authors
  • Cy David, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Remy Monville , University of California Los Angeles
  • Daphne Lemasquerier , University of St Andrews
  • Jonathan M. Aurnou , University of California, Los Angeles

Turbulent flows in gas giant atmospheres are shaped by rotation, unstable density gradients, and the topographic β-effect (vortex stretching due to planetary curvature). We study these influences using free-surface rotating convection experiments in water, imaged from above with an infrared (IR) camera. In these moderate Prandtl number experiments, the IR-derived temperature field functions much like the clouds in Jupiter's weather layer, revealing the structure of the underlying flow. Surface temperature anomaly fields for three experiments at 40 revolutions per minute (RPM), 50 RPM, and 72 RPM show the emergence of Jupiter-like banded jets as the rotation rate is increased and the β-effect strengthens.

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