Centuries-Long Impact: Saturn's Giant Storms Leave Lasting Traces

A new study reveals that Saturn, like Jupiter, experiences long-lasting megastorms that persist for centuries and have deep impacts in the atmosphere. These megastorms occur every 20 to 30 years and are similar to hurricanes on Earth but much larger. The study, conducted by astronomers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, used radio emissions to observe disruptions in the distribution of ammonia gas in Saturn's atmosphere. The concentration of ammonia is lower at midaltitudes but becomes enriched at lower altitudes, indicating transport from the upper to the lower atmosphere. The findings challenge current knowledge about megastorm formation on gas giants and may have implications for studying exoplanets in the future.