Researchers analyzing data from NASA's Juno spacecraft have determined that lightning on Jupiter can reach intensities up to 100 times greater than typical strikes on Earth. The findings, based on microwave observations from 2021 and 2022, highlight key differences in how storms form on the gas giant.
The study, published in AGU Advances, used Juno's microwave radiometer to measure radio emissions from lightning during periods of reduced storm activity in Jupiter's North Equatorial Belt. Scientists recorded an average of three flashes per second across multiple passes, with one encounter detecting 206 pulses. Out of 613 total signals, energy levels ranged from comparable to Earth lightning up to more than 100 times stronger, though exact comparisons remain uncertain due to differing wavelengths observed.