A study published in Science Advances reported the discovery of a ten-sided pattern at Saturn’s south pole. The researchers said this structure on the gas giant results from atmospheric waves interacting with the polar vortex.
While a powerful eastward jet stream creates the hexagon at the north pole, no similar stream was detected in the south. According to the study, which is based on numerous observations, the southern decagon may be linked to a wave meandering through the region.
Why it matters
The findings show that similar geometric patterns at Saturn’s two poles may not arise under the same physical conditions. This distinction reveals that focusing solely on prominent jet streams is not sufficient when studying the atmospheres of gas giants and that interactions between polar vortices and atmospheric waves must also be taken into account. By pointing to the role of the meandering wave in the formation of the structure at the south pole, the study offers a new framework for comparing the north and south poles. However, the absence of a jet stream in the south equivalent to the one in the north leaves open the question of what conditions account for the similarity between the two structures.