The Galileo imaging team released 12 new image products today. These processes are the main sources of atmospheric energy, both on Earth and on Jupiter. In a terrestrial hurricane, Ingersoll explains, the low pressure at the center draws air in along the ocean surface, where it picks up moisture.
Energy is relased when the moisture condenses and falls out as rain.
On Jupiter, energy is transferred from the warm interior of the planet to the visible atmosphere in a similar process. The new findings show that lightning occurs in the low-pressure regions on Jupiter, too. The lows are called cyclones and the highs are called anticyclones. On Jupiter the cyclones are amorphous, turbulent regions that are spread out in the east-west direction. In the Voyager movies they spawn rapidly-expanding bright clouds that look like huge thunderstorms.