JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Solar System
.

NASA Scientists Make First Observation of a Polar Cyclone on Uranus

May 23, 2023
These images were generated using the microwave observations – from left, in wavelength bands K, Ka, and Q. The average brightness was removed to enhance the contrast, and three different color maps were used to highlight various features.

NASA scientists used microwave observations to spot the first polar cyclone on Uranus, seen here as a light-colored dot to the right of center in each image of the planet. The images use wavelength bands K, Ka, and Q, from left. To highlight cyclone features, a different color map was used for each.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/VLA
Full Image Details

Scientists used ground-based telescopes to get unprecedented views, thanks to the giant planet’s position in its long orbit around the Sun.

For the first time, NASA scientists have strong evidence of a polar cyclone on Uranus. By examining radio waves emitted from the ice giant, they detected the phenomenon at the planet’s north pole. The findings confirm a broad truth about all planets with substantial atmospheres in our solar system: Whether the planets are composed mainly of rock or gas, their atmospheres show signs of a swirling vortex at the poles.

Scientists have long known that Uranus’ south pole has a swirling feature. NASA’s Voyager 2 imaging of methane cloud tops there showed winds at the polar center spinning faster than over the rest of the pole. Voyager’s infrared measurements observed no temperature changes, but the new findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, do.

Using huge radio antenna dishes of the Very Large Array in New Mexico, they peered below the ice giant’s clouds, determining that the circulating air at the north pole seems to be warmer and drier – the hallmarks of a strong cyclone. Collected in 2015, 2021, and 2022, the observations went deeper into Uranus’ atmosphere than any before.

This is an image of the planet Uranus taken by the spacecraft Voyager 2 in 1986.

This image of Uranus was taken by NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Full Image Details

“These observations tell us a lot more about the story of Uranus. It’s a much more dynamic world than you might think,” said lead author Alex Akins of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “It isn’t just a plain blue ball of gas. There’s a lot happening under the hood.”

Uranus is showing off more these days, thanks to the planet’s position in orbit. It’s a long haul around the solar system for this outer planet, taking 84 years to complete a full lap, and for the last few decades the poles weren’t pointed toward Earth. Since about 2015, scientists have had a better view and have been able to look deeper into the polar atmosphere.

Ingredients for a Cyclone

The cyclone on Uranus, compactly shaped with warm and dry air at its core, is much like those spotted by NASA’s Cassini at Saturn. With the new findings, cyclones (which rotate in the same direction their planet rotates) or anti-cyclones (which rotate in the opposite direction) have now been identified at the poles on every planet in our solar system except for Mercury, which has no substantial atmosphere.

Get the Latest JPL News

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

But unlike hurricanes on Earth, cyclones on Uranus and Saturn aren’t formed over water (neither planet is known to have liquid water), and they don’t drift; they’re locked at the poles. Researchers will be watching closely to see how this newly discovered Uranus cyclone evolves in the coming years.

“Does the warm core we observed represent the same high-speed circulation seen by Voyager?” Akins asked. “Or are there stacked cyclones in Uranus’ atmosphere? The fact that we’re still finding out such simple things about how Uranus’ atmosphere works really gets me excited to find out more about this mysterious planet.”

The National Academies’ 2023 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey prioritized exploring Uranus. In preparation for such a mission, planetary scientists are focused on bolstering their knowledge about the mysterious ice giant’s system.

News Media Contact

Gretchen McCartney

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

818-393-6215

gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov

Karen Fox / Alana Johnson

NASA Headquarters, Washington

301-286-6284 / 202-358-1501

karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov

2023-075

Related News

Mars .

Autonomous Systems Help NASA’s Perseverance Do More Science on Mars

Mars .

NASA Releases Independent Review’s Mars Sample Return Report

Solar System .

Venus on Earth: NASA’s VERITAS Science Team Studies Volcanic Iceland

Mars .

NASA’s Curiosity Reaches Mars Ridge Where Water Left Debris Pileup

Technology .

NASA to Discuss Optical Communications Demo Riding With Psyche

Solar System .

NASA’s Psyche Mission on Track for Liftoff Next Month

Mars .

NASA’s Oxygen-Generating Experiment MOXIE Completes Mars Mission

Solar System .

NASA to Discuss Psyche Asteroid Mission, Optical Communications Demo

Asteroids and Comets .

New Video Series Reveals What Drives NASA’s Psyche Mission Team

Solar System .

NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Gets Final Payload for Moon Water Hunt

Explore More

Image .

Rendering Depicts Curiosity at Gediz Vallis Ridge

Image .

Curiosity's Path to Gediz Vallis Ridge and Beyond

Image .

Curiosity Views Gediz Vallis Ridge

QUIZZES .

Space Trivia

Image .

A Portrait of Planet and Moon: NASA's Juno Mission Captures Jupiter and Io Together

Event Sept. 21, 2023 .

Solar Eclipses: Your Guide to the 2023/2024 Celestial Events

Event Aug. 24, 2023 .

SunRISE: Studying Space Weather with SmallSats

Image .

NASA's Lunar Trailblazer Gets a Taste of Space

Image .

Europa Clipper Gets Its High-Gain On

Image .

Europa Clipper's High-Gain Antenna Installed

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
Annual Reports
JPL Plan: 2023-2026
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Team Competitions
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Directions and Maps
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono
CL#: 21-0018