Planetary vortices and Jupiter's vertical structure

Measurements of the vertical structure of Jupiter's circulation have recently been made near the equator by the Galileo spacecraft probe. In other regions, planetary vortices exist selectively for a limited range of generic (exponential) vertical forms and can be used to probe the atmospheric structure theoretically. A study of vortex genesis with a three-dimensional numerical model produces reasonably realistic simulations of the Great Red Spot for both the generic and galilean forms, provided that Jupiter's winds do not extend much beyond a 500 km depth. However, the actual depth of the winds remains uncertain.