由西班牙巴斯克国立大学的Agustín Sánchez-Lavega领导的研究团队在土星南极附近发现了一个十边形的巨大大气结构1。这一新发现表明土星具有在多个半球形成多边形波的能力1。
该十边形结构最初于2023年出现在观测数据中，后由业余天文学家在2024年的图像中确认，并在2025年得到最终验证1。结构位于南极60度附近，由向东运动的喷流驱动，喷流速度约为420公里/小时，而十边形本身的移动速度约为10公里/小时1。研究团队发现，邻近这一十边形的是一个宽约4000公里的高压旋涡1。
土星北极早已知的六边形大气结构至少已稳定存在44年，最初由1980年和1981年的航海者号探针发现1。Sánchez-Lavega指出："这一发现表明六边形并非想象的那么独特，土星大气条件使得多边形波可以在两个半球的极地地区形成"1。目前土星南半球正进入春季向夏季过渡，这可能导致十边形结构发生变化1。相关研究已发表在《Science Advances》期刊1。
A research team led by Agustín Sánchez-Lavega from Spain's University of the Basque Country has identified a massive 10-sided atmospheric structure, or decagon wave, near Saturn's south pole.1 The discovery was first observed in data from 2023, confirmed through images captured by amateur astronomers in 2024, and definitively established through work completed in 2025.1 This finding demonstrates that Saturn has a tendency to form polygon waves, extending beyond the previously known hexagon at the planet's north pole.1
The hexagon at Saturn's northern pole has remained stable for at least 44 years since its initial detection by Voyager probes in 1980 and 1981.1 In contrast, the newly discovered decagon is located near 60 degrees south latitude and is driven by eastward-moving jet streams traveling at approximately 420 kilometers per hour, while the decagon itself moves at roughly 10 kilometers per hour.1 Adjacent to the decagon sits a high-pressure anticyclone approximately 4,000 kilometers wide.1
Sánchez-Lavega stated: "This discovery shows that the hexagon is not as unique as one might imagine. Atmospheric conditions on Saturn allow polygon waves to form in polar regions of both hemispheres."1 Saturn's southern hemisphere is currently transitioning from spring toward summer, a seasonal shift that may alter the decagon's characteristics.1 The findings have been published in the journal Science Advances.1
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