Further evaluation of waves and turbulence encountered by the Galileo Probe during descent in Jupiter's atmosphere

Data from the Galileo Probe in Jupiter descent indicated descent velocity o scillations as large as +/-5 m/s on a height scale of a few km, which sugge sted gravity waves in the atmosphere between 4 and 20 bars (Seiff et al., 1 998), an important observation for atmospheric stability and dynamics. But we now find these velocity fluctuations to be inconsistent with simultaneou s measurements of mean accelerations, which were relatively steady. This co nflict is resolved in favor of the accelerometers. The velocity fluctuation s can be explained from digital uncertainties in the slow rate of pressure rise. However, the accelerometers did record higher frequency perturbations of up to 0.1g. Attributed to turbulence, these imply turbulent velocities from 0.3 to 5 m/s at scales of 10 to 40 m. However, they were at least part ly a result of unsteady parachute aerodynamics.