James Webb Space Telescope Discovers High-Speed Jet Stream in Jupiter's Atmosphere

Newly discovered high-speed jet stream in Jupiter's equator travels at 320 mph and sits 25 miles above the planet's cloud decks, offering new insight into the planet's atmospheric layers and development of convective storms.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made the unprecedented discovery of a high-speed jet stream in the atmosphere of Jupiter, with speeds reaching 320 miles per hour and spanning over 3000 miles wide.
The jet stream is located around 40 kilometers above the Jupiter's cloud decks, an area of the atmosphere previously unobservable before the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Using the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the telescope, researchers identified cloud features and wind shears, areas where wind speeds change with height or distance, facilitating the tracking of the jet stream.
The discovery provides scientists with critical insight into the complexities of atmospheric interactions of Jupiter, which is known for its conspicuously turbulent atmospheric features such as the Great Red Spot.
Researchers anticipate future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope to determine if the speed and altitude of the newly discovered jet stream change over time, testing theories about Jupiter's atmospheric dynamics.