AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Editors' Highlight

Winds on Venus: A three-dimensional look

Venus's lower atmosphere is dominated by cloud and haze layers that span 30–70 km in altitude. The rudimentary structure within these layers has been measured by numerous spacecraft and ground-based telescopes, which found strong flows directed westward along lines of latitude. Recently, more detailed observations have been obtained by the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board the European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft. Data from VIRTIS, consisting of images of Venus's cloud cover at three separated altitudes, allowed Sánchez-Lavega et al. (2008) to study the three-dimensional structure of Venus's winds. They found that at latitudes less than 55°, wind speeds remain constant, with velocities of 60–70 m s^-1 at the clouds' bases and about 105 m s^-1 at the clouds' tops. This creates strong vertical wind shear at low latitudes. Poleward of 55°, westward wind speeds are constant throughout the air column and decrease at a steady rate until the pole is reached. This creates a vertically coherent vortex structure of winds swirling about the poles.

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