[M-GI30] Computational sciences on the universe, galaxies, stars, planets and their environments

[MGI30-02] Jupiter's moist and thermal convection modulated by torsional oscillation

*Kumiko Hori¹, Ko-ichiro Sugiyama², Laura Currie³, Steven Tobias⁴ (1.National Institute for Fusion Science, 2.National Institute of Technology, Matsue College, 3.Durham University, 4.University of Leeds)

Jupiter's weather layer exhibits multi-year cycles. The cloud level variability was proposed to link with the interior dynamics arising from torsional Alfvén waves/oscillations. To explore the triggering mechanisms, we here consider a combination of two local/mesoscale models, focusing on the equatorial region: (i) thermal convection modulated by oscillating shear as a model for the outer envelope beneath the wet layer, and (ii) moist convection warmed-up, or cooled-down, from below as a model for the tropospheric dynamics beneath the stratosphere. We demonstrate that modulating zonal flows can influence the interior convection to yield oscillatory heat transfer, doubling the period, and that a few percent change in thermal condition of the deep atmosphere can influence tropospheric cumulonimbus activity on daily timescales, giving rise to yearly changes in formed condensates. This suggests the variability observed at/below the cloud level in the equatorial region can be triggered by torsional oscillations in the interior.