The Enigma of Saturn's North-Polar Hexagon

TL;DR

This paper explores the mysterious hexagonal shape of Saturn's north pole, proposing it results from a spectrum of Rossby waves influenced by the jet's velocity profile.

Contribution

It introduces a hypothesis that a spectrum of Rossby waves explains the hexagon's shape and discusses the conditions leading to its polygonal form.

Findings

Spectrum of Rossby waves likely causes the hexagon shape

Velocity profile of the jet influences wave formation

Hexagon's shape is a result of wave interactions

Abstract

It has been suggested that the north-polar hexagon found on Saturn is an unusual Rossby wave. If this is to be the case, one must not only explain how a Rossby wave can be hexagonal in shape, albeit with curved corners, but also why it is hexagonal rather than in the form of some other polygon. It is likely that a spectrum of Rossby waves with different amplitudes and wavelengths resulting from the velocity profile of the hexagonal jet is responsible for its shape.