NIMS performs the remaining 21 observations scheduled for today. One is of Europa, while the other 20 are dedicated to studying Jupiter's atmosphere. North Temperate and South Tropical Zone observations will provide scientists with information on cloud activity, and thermal and compositional characteristics. When compared to similar measurements from previous orbits, they can give insight into the change in these characteristics over long time scales. The auroral observations are designed to study the auroral emissions at Jupiter's south polar region.
Auroral emissions are much like Earth's northern lights.
NIMS' limb observations are designed to look right at the edge of Jupiter's disk and will measure how thermal emissions vary with altitude in the upper cloud levels in Jupiter's atmosphere. Finally, the white oval observation is designed to look at the last white oval. The three long-lived white oval features have merged over the course of the last two years into a single storm. White ovals are storms that occur between two adjacent zonal jet streams, and have lasted for decades. The data obtained in this observation will provide scientists with more information on the composition and cloud dynamics of the region.