the Strongest storms on Saturn, known as the "Great white spots" can be caused by the presence of moisture in the atmosphere of the planet. This is the conclusion of researchers who closely followed these unusual phenomena that lasts for decades.

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the Strongest storms on Saturn, known as the "Great white spots" can be caused by the presence of moisture in the atmosphere of the planet. This is the conclusion of researchers who closely followed these unusual phenomena that lasts for decades.

After the first discovery in 1876 on Saturn was seen only six giant storms. They remind me of those storms that we can see on Earth. The essential difference lies only in the fact that one such storm on Saturn may be equal in size to all the Earth. Giant storms on Saturn occur every 20-30 years, but scientists remained a mystery why they need such a long period of time for repetition, notes lead author of a new study in the garden of the California Institute of technology in Pasadena.

The study team Does come to the conclusion that these storms are constrained by water vapor in the atmosphere, which for decades suppress their power. And storms are caused by mixing in the atmospheres of hot and cold gases, a process known as convection. On Saturn water molecules is relatively heavy compared to the molecules of hydrogen and helium that dominate in the planet's atmosphere, so water sinks and forms a separate layer. This wet layer is not mixed with other dry areas, and the lack of convection suppresses the giant storms for decades, researchers say.

According to scientists, such a storm should occur every 60 years in each hemisphere of the planet, that actually explains why every 30 years on Saturn, you may notice new giant spot. Such storms are a unique feature of Saturn and can't occur on other planets-giants of the Solar system due to lack of enough water or its vapor.