Hello,
- Saturn, by definition, is an ancient Roman god of agriculture, the consort of Ops, believed to have ruled the earth during the age of happiness and virtue, identified with the Greek god Cronus. Also, by more known terms, it is the planet sixth in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 74,600 miles (120,000 km), a mean distance from the sun of 886.7 million miles (1427 km), a period of revolution of 29.46 years, and 21 known moons. It is the second largest planet in the solar system, encompassed by a series of thin, flat rings composed of small particles of ice.
- Ammonia is a colorless, pungent, suffocating, highly water-soluble, gaseous compound, NH3, usually produced by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen gases: used chiefly for refrigeration and in the manufacture of commercial chemicals and laboratory reagents.
- Jupiter, by definition, similar to Saturn, refers to the supreme deity of the ancient Romans: the god of the heavens and the weather. It is also the planet fifth in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 88,729 miles (142,796 km), a mean distance from the sun of 483.6 million miles (778.3 million km), a period revolution of 11.86 years, and at least 14 moons. It is the largest planet in the solar system.
Saturn's ammonia haze layer is caused by the interaction of ammonia and other gases in Saturn's atmosphere. Here are the reasons why this ammonia haze gives Saturn different cloud features compared to Jupiter:
1) Ammonia is a gas that is highly soluble in water. When ammonia combines with water in Saturn's atmosphere, it forms ammonia hydrosulfide which condenses to form an opaque haze layer. This ammonia haze acts like a veil, making Saturn's cloud bands and storms less distinct when viewed from outside.
2) The ammonia haze absorbs and scatters sunlight, making it harder for sunlight to penetrate deep into Saturn's atmosphere and heat it up. This reduced heating results in weaker wind currents and storms compared to Jupiter.
3) Jupiter has less ammonia in its atmosphere compared to Saturn. Instead, Jupiter has more water vapor which condenses to form distinct white clouds. These clouds act like reflectors, making Jupiter's cloud bands and storms very prominent and visible.
4) The temperatures in Saturn's atmosphere favor the formation of ammonia hydrosulfide haze particles rather than distinct cloud droplets like on Jupiter. These tiny ammonia haze particles scatter light in all directions, muting the clarity of Saturn's cloud features.
5) Saturn has a lower gravitational pull compared to Jupiter. This allows smaller ammonia haze particles to remain suspended in Saturn's atmosphere for longer, building up into a thick veil. On Jupiter, more particles likely precipitate out of the atmosphere due to its stronger gravity.
So in summary, Saturn's abundant ammonia gas combines with water to form an opaque ammonia haze layer. This haze absorbs and scatters sunlight, reduces atmospheric heating, and mutes the clarity of Saturn's cloud features compared to Jupiter. The differences in atmospheric composition and temperature profiles between the two gas giants also contribute to their distinct cloud appearances.