Unusual thunderstorms on Jupiter: scientists explained how “mush” of ammonia and water is born

Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, surprised scientists with an unusual atmospheric phenomenon: on the gas giant there are thunderstorms, during which fall “porridge” – ice hailstones from a mixture of ammonia and water, covered with a crust of ice. Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, found that these balls explain the uneven distribution of ammonia in Jupiter’s atmosphere. The discovery is based on data from NASA’s Juno probe, the Hubble telescope and the Very Large Array radio telescope.

Photo: NASA

“Porridge” (mushballs) are formed in powerful thunderstorm clouds at a depth of about 64 km beneath Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. During storms, water ice rises to the top, where it encounters ammonia vapor, which acts as an antifreeze, turning the ice into a viscous liquid. This mixture freezes outside, forming heavy hailstones that first rise and then fall, carrying the ammonia to depths of up to 150 kilometers. Scientists compare the process to Earth’s soda: imagine frozen clumps of soda falling during a thunderstorm, pulling the “gas” underground. These balls are accompanied by small lightning bolts in charged clouds.

The discovery of the “mush” disproves previous theories about Jupiter’s uniform atmosphere and explains why some areas have less ammonia than expected. Researchers, including graduate student Chris Meckel, initially doubted the idea, but 3D visualization of the atmosphere confirmed: large storms carry ammonia deeper, creating contrasting zones.