| The colors of Jupiter in 2022 (3) Photometric spectra of individual features by Christophe.P |
This is the last part of the work. Photometric spectra like these are more suited to study smaller regions like spots or belts. Some interesting developments took place in comparison with 2021. 1) The GRS has reddened again, although probably not to the level it had prior to the brightening of 2021. Its U and B albedos are inferior to that of the whole globe. It dimmed also in the V band, but not in R and I. This is the translation of the "redder" color! Interestingly, the methane albedo of the spot look to have increased, from 0,119 to 0,126 at 890 nm, and 0,32 to 0,35 at 1000 nm (mixed band with continuum). HST Scientists have noticed during the period 2015-2020 that there was a correlation between the reddening, the darkening in UV, and the brightening in CH4 ; and this looks to have been the case in 2022 as well. 2) The EZ has noticeably brightened. I have also found a small increase in the short wavelengths during the course of the apparition, from late August to late October. Judging by its aspect on the first images of the current 2023 apparition where it looked to have kept on brightening/whitening, it may be a real change. 3) The graphs also depicts the wider changes affecting the main belts and zone, as seen already on the North-South scans. Unfortunately I did not observe oval BA last year, but maybe I could work with someone else data, I will check this...
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