PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

The weather forecast for Venus

Space-based infrared imaging reveals the nighttime weather on Venus

The weather forecast for Venus
2021-07-21
(Press-News.org) Little is known about the weather at night on Venus as the absence of sunlight makes imaging difficult. Now, researchers have devised a way to use infrared sensors on board the Venus orbiter Akatsuki to reveal the first details of the nighttime weather of our nearest neighbor. Their analytical methods could be used to study other planets including Mars and gas giants as well. Furthermore, the study of Venusian weather granted by their methods could allow researchers to learn more about the mechanisms underpinning Earth's weather systems.

Earth and Venus share a lot in common. They are similar in size and mass, they're both within the same orbital region known as the habitable zone (thought to support liquid water, and possibly life), they both have a solid surface, and both have a narrow atmosphere that experiences weather. Therefore, the study of the weather on Venus can actually aid researchers in their quest to better understand the weather on Earth too. To do this, researchers need to observe cloud motion on Venus day and night at certain wavelengths of infrared light. However, until now only the weather on the daylight-facing side was easily accessible. Previously some limited infrared observations were possible of the nighttime weather, but these were too limited to paint a clear picture of the overall weather on Venus.

Enter the Venus Climate Orbiter Akatsuki. Launched in 2010, it is the first Japanese probe to orbit another planet. Its mission is to observe Venus and its weather system using a variety of onboard instruments. Akatsuki carried an infrared imager which does not rely on illumination from the sun to see. However, even this cannot directly resolve details on the nightside of Venus, but it did give researchers the data they needed to see things indirectly.

"Small-scale cloud patterns in the direct images are faint and frequently indistinguishable from background noise," said Professor Takeshi Imamura from the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo. "To see details, we needed to supress the noise. In astronomy and planetary science, it is common to combine images to do this, as real features within a stack of similar images quickly hide the noise. However, Venus is a special case as the entire weather system rotates very quickly, so we had to compensate for this movement, known as super-rotation, in order to highlight interesting formations for study. Graduate student Kiichi Fukuya, developed a technique to overcome this difficulty."

Super-rotation is one significant meteorological phenomenon that, thankfully, we do not get down here on Earth. It is the ferocious east-west circulation of the entire weather system around the equator of the planet, and it dwarfs any extreme winds we might experience at home. Imamura and his team explore mechanisms that sustain this super-rotation and believe that characteristics of Venusian weather at night might help explain it.

"We are finally able to observe the north-south winds, known as meridional circulation, at night. What's surprising is these run in the opposite direction to their daytime counterparts," said Imamura. "Such a dramatic change cannot occur without significant consequences. This observation could help us build more accurate models of the Venusian weather system which will hopefully resolve some long-standing, unanswered questions about Venusian weather and probably Earth weather too."

U.S. space agency NASA recently announced two new missions to explore Venus with probes named DaVinci+ and Veritas, and the European Space Agency also announced a new Venus mission named EnVision. Combined with the observational capacity of Akatsuki, Imamura and his team hope they will soon be able to explore the Venusian climate not just in its present form but also over its geological history.

INFORMATION:

Journal article Kiichi Fukuya, Takeshi Imamura, Makoto Taguchi, Tetsuya Fukuhara, Toru Kouyama, Takeshi Horinouchi, Javier Peralta, Masahiko Futaguchi, Takeru Yamada, Takao M. Sato, Atsushi Yamazaki, Shin?ya Murakami, Takehiko Satoh, Masahiro Takagi, Masato Nakamura, "Unveiling of nightside cloud-top circulation of Venus atmosphere" Nature, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03636-7 Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03636-7

Funding This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 20H01958 and 19H05605. Useful links Department of Earth and Planetary Science - https://www.eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
Graduate School of Science - https://www.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences - https://www.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/index.html.en Research contact information Professor Takeshi Imamura
Graduate School of Frontier Sciences , The University of Tokyo,
5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8561, JAPAN
Email: t_imamura@edu.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp Press Contact Mr. Rohan Mehra
Division for Strategic Public Relations, The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, JAPAN
Email: press-releases.adm@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp

About the University of Tokyo The University of Tokyo is Japan's leading university and one of the world's top research universities. The vast research output of some 6,000 researchers is published in the world's top journals across the arts and sciences. Our vibrant student body of around 15,000 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate students includes over 4,000 international students. Find out more at http://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/ or follow us on Twitter at @UTokyo_News_en.


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
The weather forecast for Venus

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Genome editing meets marsupials

Genome editing meets marsupials
2021-07-21
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) have succeeded in creating the first genetically engineered marsupial. This study, published in the scientific journal Current Biology, will contribute to deciphering the genetic background of unique characteristics observed only in marsupials. Genetically modified animals, particularly mice and rats, are extremely important tools for researching biological processes. For example, researchers often silence genes to find out what their normal functions are. Since marsupials have unique characteristics, studying them requires developing ...

Chromosomes separation under focus

Chromosomes separation under focus
2021-07-21
During cell division, chromosomes are duplicated and separated so that one copy of each chromosome is inherited by each of the two emerging daughter cells. Correct distribution of chromosomes requires high accuracy and defects in this process can cause aberrant distribution of chromosomes and facilitate cancer development. By analyzing the structure of the protein responsible for chromosome separation, an international team, led by scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), has shed light on the mechanisms controlling this essential player in cell division. This work is published in the journal ...

"Magic-angle" trilayer graphene may be a rare, magnet-proof superconductor

2021-07-21
MIT physicists have observed signs of a rare type of superconductivity in a material called magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene. In a study appearing in Nature, the researchers report that the material exhibits superconductivity at surprisingly high magnetic fields of up to 10 Tesla, which is three times higher than what the material is predicted to endure if it were a conventional superconductor. The results strongly imply that magic-angle trilayer graphene, which was initially discovered by the same group, is a very rare type of superconductor, known as a "spin-triplet," that is impervious to high ...

Association between COVID-19 exposure, self-reported compliance with public health guidelines among essential employees at an institution of higher education

2021-07-21
What The Study Did: This study at an institution of higher education in Colorado evaluated the association between self-reported protective behaviors and how common SARS-CoV-2 infection was among essential in-person employees during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Authors: Tracy L. Nelson, M.P.H., Ph.D., of Colorado State University in Fort Collins, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.16543) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. ...

Gender-affirming hair removal, mental health outcomes

2021-07-21
What The Study Did: In this analysis of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, gender-affirming hair removal procedures were associated with lower odds of past-month severe psychological distress, past-year smoking and past-year suicidal ideation. Authors: Michelle S. Lee, B.A., of Harvard Medical School in Boston, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2551) Editor's Note: The article includes conflicts of interest ...

Preventing approximal caries in primary teeth with topical fluorides

2021-07-21
Alexandria, Va., USA - Parach Sirivichayakul, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, presented the poster "Preventing Approximal Caries in Primary Teeth With Topical Fluorides" at the virtual 99th General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), held in conjunction with the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) and the 45th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research (CADR), on July 21-24, 2021. There is limited evidence regarding the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for caries prevention in primary teeth. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of 38% SDF, 5% sodium fluoride (NaF) varnish and ...

Researchers discover a 'layer hall effect' in a 2D topological Axion antiferromagnet

2021-07-21
Chestnut Hill, Mass. (7/21/2021) - Researchers have discovered a "layer" Hall effect in a solid state chip constructed of antiferromagnetic manganese bismuth telluride, a finding that signals a much sought-after topological Axion insulating state, the team reports in the current edition of the journal Nature. Researchers have been trying to find evidence of a topological Axion insulating (TAI) state and developed some candidate materials based on theoretical calculations. The layered Hall effect represents the first clear experimental evidence of the state, a feature bound by the laws of quantum physics, according to Boston College Assistant Professor ...

City-funded housing repairs in low-income neighborhoods associated with drop in crime

2021-07-21
PHILADELPHIA--Investing in structural home repairs in historically segregated, low-income, Black and Latino neighborhoods has been associated with reduced crime rates. In Philadelphia, when a home received repairs through a city-funded program, total crime dropped by 21.9% on that block, and as the number of repaired houses on a block increased, instances of crime fell even further, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published today in JAMA Network Open. In an effort to address an old housing stock and high levels of historical disinvestment in Philadelphia, the city implemented the Basic Systems Repair ...

Glass sponges have properties for the design of ships, planes and skyscrapers

2021-07-21
Rome (Italy), July 21st, 2021 - The remarkable structural properties of the basket sponge (E. aspergillum) might seem fathoms removed from human-engineered structures. However, insights into how the organism's latticework of holes and ridges influences the hydrodynamics of seawater in its vicinity could lead to advanced designs for buildings, bridges, marine vehicles and aircraft, and anything that must respond safely to forces imposed by the flow of air or water. While past research has investigated the structure of the sponge, there have been few studies of the hydrodynamic fields ...

The need for nuance in carbohydrate recommendations

2021-07-21
Carbohydrates have traditionally been the largest source of energy intake for much of the world's population1. However, without a standard definition for carbohydrate quality, some foods that contain carbohydrates are often stigmatized based on isolated and reductionist assessment methods that fail to consider their contributions to nutrient intakes and balanced, healthy diets. A new perspective piece, published in Advances in Nutrition, brings to light the pressing need to define carbohydrate quality, to better assess the value of nutrient-dense carbohydrate-containing foods in healthy lifestyles. Ultimately, the authors call for a more holistic approach to carbohydrate guidance to address the complex ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Storing electrons from hydrogen for clean chemical reactions

Unlocking how to use mRNA to target Alzheimer’s disease

Kessler Foundation secures $770,000 in grants to advance leading-edge spinal cord research

Going ‘back to the future’ to forecast the fate of a dead Florida coral reef

How extratropical ocean-atmosphere interactions can contribute to the variability of jet streams in the Northern Hemisphere

MSK Research Highlights, March 28, 2024

USDA, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College collaborate to support Indigenous Seed Sovereignty

For younger women, mental health now may predict heart health later

Missed opportunity: AEDs near cardiac arrests rarely used by bystanders

Eggs may not be bad for your heart after all

Alcohol raises heart disease risk, particularly among women

TTUHSC announces new center for nursing research

Adding just enough fuel to the fire

Impact of synbiotic supplements on the gut microbiome and overall health of penguins

Promising advances in organosilica membranes for separating organic liquid mixtures

Cell phone video technology unveils new method for analyzing walking and gait

Ancient isolation’s impact on modern ecology

Synaptic protein change during development offers clues on evolution and disease

How commercial rooftop solar power could bring affordable clean energy to low-income homes

Taking a closer look at pulmonary fibrosis genetics

Cats with MDR1 mutation at risk of severe reactions to popular medication

IOP Publishing and IPEM mandate reporting of sex and gender in research 

Dogs trained to detect trauma stress by smelling humans’ breath

Electronic device thermal management made simpler and slightly better!

Study: Dangerous surgical site infections can be reduced with simple prevention protocol

Genetic testing of patients with atrial fibrillation can alert clinicians to potential development of life-threatening conditions

Artificial Intelligence tool successfully predicts fatal heart rhythm

What progress has China made in agriculture green development over the past five years?

ALMA finds new molecular signposts in starburst galaxy

Open waste burning linked to air pollution in Northwestern Greenland

[Press-News.org] The weather forecast for Venus
Space-based infrared imaging reveals the nighttime weather on Venus