Post AzwDtjf0aABN2ziqBM by Apathetic_Yowie@poa.st
(DIR) More posts by Apathetic_Yowie@poa.st
(DIR) Post #AzvWtFk7WEpeEMdXhg by Elliptica@poa.st
2025-11-05T06:28:02.085399Z
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Its only kinda windy on Saturn.
(DIR) Post #AzwDtjf0aABN2ziqBM by Apathetic_Yowie@poa.st
2025-11-05T09:36:02.789046Z
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@Elliptica If I'm reading it right, there are winds there faster than the speed of sound. I wonder if they make sonic booms?
(DIR) Post #AzwDtl25TqEnIrWmnI by Elliptica@poa.st
2025-11-05T14:29:54.921837Z
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@Apathetic_Yowie No, the wind speeds there are about half the speed of sound for Saturn (which is ~800m/s).
(DIR) Post #B05rMMQ44bxvkXac1w by TBoone@poa.st
2025-11-07T16:03:00.510280Z
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@Elliptica @Apathetic_Yowie So Saturn's atmosphere is less dense than Earth? Which leads to the speed of sound being so much faster than Earth? Fascinating.And a few Data points appear to be below zero. Negative wind speeds? A suction effect? Space. Is different...
(DIR) Post #B05rMNPkNHJ0pqRsAq by Elliptica@poa.st
2025-11-07T16:27:57.475089Z
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@TBoone @Apathetic_Yowie They are data points taken by different methods. Fewer red dots were from software analysis of storms in motion between images (something I'm trying to improve, see attached image), the black dots were taken by doppler shift measurements.The density of air doesn't really impact the speed of sound (air pressure and air density are proportional to each other), what matters is what the air is made of and the temperature. The air on Saturn is much colder (about -130C in the upper atmosphere), which lowers the speed of sound, but it's mostly hydrogen gas, which raises it significantly more than temperature lowers it. It's why your voice becomes squeeky when you inhale hydrogen.As for wind speeds, the wind is measured relative to latitude. So a negative wind speed would be westward winds.