The NASA researchers baffled in this article by the hexagonal shape in Saturn’s soupy atmosphere at its northern pole should read “As waters part, polygons appear” (SN: 6/3/06, p. 348). It is worth investigating whether there is a similar phenomenon—I still suspect some sort of standing sine wave effect—at work in both cases.
Ellery Frahm Minneapolis, Minn.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.