Neptune has a 'warmish' south pole.

[3488]

JPL Planetary Photojournal article & image here.<br /><br />Interesting find.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[michaelmozina]

Those images also remind me of aurora images. I can't help but think that all planets experience some type of polar activity associated with Birkeland currents. Maybe that hot spot is somehow associated with such currents in the polar atmosphere interacting with the atmosphere itself? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

 

[brellis]

At -190C, the term 'warmish' may be a bit optimistic, eh? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />I was getting my hopes up for a minute there <img src="/images/icons/cool.gif" /><br /><br />Seriouserly, it's great to get a more detailed sense of the mechanics of temperature and weather on the giant planets. Thanks for sharing! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Are they sure that the Noth Pole hasn't a similar warm spot?<br />Because if it does, so long for the explanation with the sunlight effect. And potential upwards current might be thought to bring gas from deeper layers, hence warmer layers.<br /><br />Best regards.

 

[3488]

I agree brellis, it is not warm in my books either, but -190 C / 83 K is only 10 C colder<br />than the surface of Titan, but is warmer than Titan's tropopause @ some -202 C / 71 K. <br /><br />Perhaps Neptune like Venus & Saturn has a polar vortex.<br /><br />That is a good question Joel.<br /><br />I found this story, which suggests not, but will do in about 80 years time <br />when the northern hemisphere of Neptune is having its 'Summer Solstice'.<br /><br />Also here from Science Daily.com.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[dragon04]

<font color="yellow">Maybe that hot spot is somehow associated with such currents in the polar atmosphere interacting with the atmosphere itself?</font><br /><br />Makes me wonder if the same phenomenon might have happened on the early Earth with a hydrogen/methane atmosphere.....<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>

 

[signalhill]

Perhaps Neptune's interior is sweltering hot and this is a glimpse of that. Perhaps similar to Enceladus.

 

[3488]

Neptune does have quite an excess of internal hence driving the strongest winds in<br />the entire Solar System @ about 2,250 KPH / 1,400 MPH.<br /><br />At the 1 Bar level, the temperature is about -201 C / 72 K, where as the 1 Bar level<br />in the atmosphere of Uranus is -195 C / 78 K, only 6 C warmer, despite being very much<br />closer to the sun.<br /><br />Perhaps this 'warm spot' at the South Pole is also symptomatic of that.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>