[17] The SEB revival outbreak Dec 18-26th ,2010.

Hello all,

Here is another compilation of images of the SEB Revival source and central branch, Dec.18-26.  The previous white spot to appear at the source, WS10, remains bright and modestly methane-bright throughout, a compact plume at the centre of a larger light cell.  Another new plume appeared at the source on Dec.20 (WS12: L2 = 302) but remained very small until Dec.26 when it was larger.  Meanwhile in the long complex of white spots at the leading edge of the central branch, WS9 elongated Np. into the northern branch, and a very bright new plume erupted within it on Dec.22 (WS9a: L2 = 254), also very bright in methane band.  This leading edge appears to be 'the mother of all weather fronts', with vigorous bright storms erupting at any point along it from 14 deg.S to 19 deg.S.

The southern branch is retrograding at +4 deg/day.  These dark spots, all at 20-21 deg.S, still appear amorphous, and may represent dark material filling the spaces between and around the tiny bright spots that earlier existed in the 'sawtooth' pattern.  How they accelerated from +2.5 to +4 deg/day on passing the SEB Revival source, without change of latitude, is a mystery.  The first ones, which still maintain the original 'sawtooth' pattern, should arrive at the p. end of the GRS around Jan.8, with larger dark spots following several days later.  The interaction with the GRS will be of great interest, never before observed at high resolution.  So please make every effort to observe the GRS region from Jan.8 onwards!  - especially northern hemisphere observers who will be favoured by the tilt of the ecliptic; but also tropical and southern hemisphere observers who might have better weather.  Images on every rotation may be needed to find out how these spots engage with the circulation of the GRS.
Best wishes for the New Year,

John


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John H. Rogers, Ph.D. Jupiter Section Director,
British Astronomical Association

<jhr11@cam.ac.uk>
http://www.britastro.org/jupiter/
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