The Jovian Planets

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is 318 times more massive than Earth and is two thirds of the planetary mass in the solar system. Jupiter�s surface, unlike earth, is gaseous and not a solid. It is about 90% hydrogen and 10% helium with traces of methane, ammonia, water and rock. Jupiter�s interior is very similar to the Sun�s interior but with a far lower temperature. However, it is still unknown but Jupiter is believed to have a core of liquid metallic hydrogen. This exotic element can only be achieved at pressure greater than 4 million bars. Jupiter radiates more energy in space than it receives from the sun. The interior of Jupiter is hot and has been estimated to be 20000 degrees Kelvin. The heat is generated by the Kelvin- Hemholtz mechanism, or the gravitational compression of a planet. It gives off about 1.5 to 2 times more energy than the sun. It is speculated that the source of this heat is due to the rapid rotation of the planet and it�s liquid metallic hydrogen core.
Liquid Metallic hydrogen consists ...

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is a layer of liquid ammonia and water droplets. Jupiter�s atmosphere is also plagued by high velocity winds that move in wide bands. These winds blow in opposite directions along the latitude of the planet. Because of chemical reactions and differences, they can be seen wrapping around Jupiter in colorful bands. The light colored bands are called zones and the dark colored bands are called belts. It is not known whether the belts and zones are permanent, they have not changed in eighty years of observance. "One theory is that the jet stream at the belt-zone boundaries are linked to circulation patterns deep in the liquid interior" (Seeds, 520)
One of the most prominent ...

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