Uranus and Neptune are the two outermost planets in our solar system, receiving very little energy from the Sun. However, observations of these planets reveal intense meteorological activity and notably storms. To understand the mechanisms behind this activity and to simulate convection and moist convective storms on these planets, a research team, partly composed of scientists from the LMD, developed a three-dimensional climate model of these gas giants. By applying this high-resolution model, the research team could study the effect of methane, the third main component of these planets’ atmospheres, particularly the impact of the condensation/sublimation of this gas on the triggering or inhibition of convection in the atmosphere. The team highlighted the processes that trigger or inhibit these storms and characterized their intensity and frequency at different latitudes of the icy giant planets. These results have been published in Astronomy and Astrophyics.

Article:

Storms and convection on Uranus and Neptune: Impact of methane abundance revealed by a 3D cloud-resolving model

Image Crédits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, J. DePasquale (STScI)