Jupiter's red spot is shrinking?

[h.g.Whiz]

What is significant about this discovery?

[Wauthan]

Here's a link (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090309-mm-jupiter-great-red-spot.html) about the topic.

To the OP: No, I can't see why it would. It does tell us something about the weather patterns on Jupiter though, though a lot more data is needed to draw any new conclusions. After all, even the Great Red Spot it's just a storm and has to end some time. Why not now?

[MG1962]

Is this significant in getting a better understanding of weather patterns here on earth ?

I would think not. It has been a very dynamic system and has been changing year to year since it's discovery. Given we see it because it projects though the clouds due to it being a colder mass of air. It simply could be warming slightly and hence submerging back into the surrounding clouds

[casebro]

It could have significance in our Global Warming Debate. If Jupitor is having changes in climate, then Earth's changes are NOT caused by my gas hog truck.

[NoZed Avenger]

It could have significance in our Global Warming Debate. If Jupitor is having changes in climate, then Earth's changes are NOT caused by my gas hog truck.

I wouldn't think Jupe would be able to tell us much, one way or the other -- too many differences, too far from the Sun, puts out its own heat, etc. etc.

[alfaniner]

Maybe we'll soon become custodians of several new worlds? Except Europa...

[shadron]

It could have significance in our Global Warming Debate. If Jupitor is having changes in climate, then Earth's changes are NOT caused by my gas hog truck.

Heh. About all you can say for that comparison is that we both live under the same sun, sorta. But you could move the truck to Jupiter; that might improve the situation. :)

[MG1962]

Maybe we'll soon become custodians of several new worlds? Except Europa...

LOL that hilarious

[theMark]

Someone get us Roy Scheider and John Lithgow and a whole bunch of russians up there, STAT! :duck:

Sorry, haven't got anything meaningful to add right now.

[Mashuna]

Jupiter is using Clearsil?

[Bob Klase]

It could have significance in our Global Warming Debate. If Jupitor is having changes in climate, then Earth's changes are NOT caused by my gas hog truck.

Perhaps your gas hog truck is causing changes in Jupiter's climate.

Your conclusion may be right, but it's not supported by your evidence.

[blutoski]

It could have significance in our Global Warming Debate. If Jupitor is having changes in climate, then Earth's changes are NOT caused by my gas hog truck.

If Jupiter is experiencing climate change, then it would indeed lend insight into Terrestrial climate change.

Question: why would you suspect that changes in Jupiter's spot represent Jovian climate change? ie: nobody believes one local storm's activity tells us much about the global situaton. Why would a local storm on Jupiter be subjected to special pleading?

[Undesired Walrus]

As far as I understand it, the discovery of the conditions on Venus was one of the main reasons why we are aware of the greenhouse problems on our own planet.

I also believe that one of the first climate change scientists was someone who studied Venus.

[MG1962]

As far as I understand it, the discovery of the conditions on Venus was one of the main reasons why we are aware of the greenhouse problems on our own planet.

I also believe that one of the first climate change scientists was someone who studied Venus.

You would believe very correctly. Venus gave us a lot of data on the opacity of carbon. That result virtually led to the abandoment of the cooling Earth theory by about 1980 or so

[blutoski]

As far as I understand it, the discovery of the conditions on Venus was one of the main reasons why we are aware of the greenhouse problems on our own planet.

I also believe that one of the first climate change scientists was someone who studied Venus.

Yeah, but the deniers have a set of stock answers to deal with this. They are certain that there's no greenhouse effect on Venus, and the comparison is faulty. There's another thread for this already.

[shadron]

You would believe very correctly. Venus gave us a lot of data on the opacity of carbon. That result virtually led to the abandoment of the cooling Earth theory by about 1980 or so

The greenhouse effect was discovered by Joseph Fourier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fourier) in 1824, first reliably experimented on by John Tyndall (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tyndall) in the year 1858 and first reported quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Svante_Arrhenius) in his 1896 paper.[6] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effect#cite_note-5)

As for the heating/cooling controversy, see
EU_AtHkB4Ms

[Roboramma]

It could have significance in our Global Warming Debate. If Jupitor is having changes in climate, then Earth's changes are NOT caused by my gas hog truck.

I'm sorry but how does that follow? Thats like me saying: "If Jake's hamburger, which I didn't touch, was eaten, then my hamburger was not eaten by me."

That climate change can happen without humans doesn't mean that climate change here and now is not caused by humans. I don't see why you would think it would.

[Travis]

What is significant about this discovery?

It means that the dragons with laser cannons are dying off and will eventually go extinct. I thus see this as further confirmation of my red spot = dragons with lasers theory.:cool: