Unusual imaging observations of Saturn's rings

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 225-227
Author(s):  
Richard J. Terrile
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Imaging Experiment ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
F Ring ◽  
Saturn's Rings

Voyager cameras recorded a number of surprising and unusual features in Saturn's rings. These features include the large-scale markings (commonly called spokes) seen rotating around Saturn in the B-Ring, kinks and clumps in the F-Ring and A-Ring gap (Keeler or Encke gap) ringlets, wavy gap edges in the Cassini and A-Ring gaps, eccentric ringlets and chaotic ringlet structures. Detailed observations of these features by the Voyager imaging experiment will be discussed.

scholarly journals Close-range remote sensing of Saturn’s rings during Cassini’s ring-grazing orbits and Grand Finale

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 364 (6445) ◽  
pp. eaau1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Tiscareno ◽  
Philip D. Nicholson ◽  
Jeffrey N. Cuzzi ◽  
Linda J. Spilker ◽  
Carl D. Murray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Optical Depth ◽  
Spectral Properties ◽  
Dynamical Processes ◽  
Ring Structures ◽  
Close Range ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
F Ring ◽  
Saturn's Rings

Saturn’s rings are an accessible exemplar of an astrophysical disk, tracing the Saturn system’s dynamical processes and history. We present close-range remote-sensing observations of the main rings from the Cassini spacecraft. We find detailed sculpting of the rings by embedded masses, and banded texture belts throughout the rings. Saturn-orbiting streams of material impact the F ring. There are fine-scaled correlations among optical depth, spectral properties, and temperature in the B ring, but anticorrelations within strong density waves in the A ring. There is no spectral distinction between plateaux and the rest of the C ring, whereas the region outward of the Keeler gap is spectrally distinct from nearby regions. These results likely indicate that radial stratification of particle physical properties, rather than compositional differences, is responsible for producing these ring structures.

Structure and dynamical processes in Saturn's rings

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 393-395
Author(s):  
Richard J. Terrile
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Large Scale Structure ◽  
Ring Structure ◽  
Ring System ◽  
Scale Structure ◽  
Dynamical Processes ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings

The Voyager encounters have provided the first high resolution look at the Saturn ring system. Images of the rings reveal several classes of dynamical processes active in creating and maintaining large scale structure. These classes include variable ring features attributable to the influence of external satellite resonances, ring structure induced by the shepherding effects from external and possibly internal satellites, smooth eccentric ringlets contained within clear gaps in the ring and the dynamics of spokes which may represent a transient ring atmosphere.

scholarly journals Density waves and the viscous overstability in Saturn’s rings

2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A121 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lehmann ◽  
J. Schmidt ◽  
H. Salo
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Density Wave ◽  
Relative Magnitude ◽  
Density Waves ◽  
Scale Free ◽  
Short Scale ◽  
Spiral Density Waves ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings ◽  
Lindblad Resonance

This paper considers resonantly forced spiral density waves in a dense planetary ring that is close to the threshold for viscous overstability. We solved numerically the hydrodynamical equations for a dense thin disk in the vicinity of an inner Lindblad resonance with a perturbing satellite. Our numerical scheme is one-dimensional so that the spiral shape of a density wave is taken into account through a suitable approximation of the advective terms arising from the fluid orbital motion. This paper is a first attempt to model the co-existence of resonantly forced density waves and short-scale free overstable wavetrains as observed in Saturn’s rings, by conducting large-scale hydrodynamical integrations. These integrations reveal that the two wave types undergo complex interactions, not taken into account in existing models for the damping of density waves. In particular we found that, depending on the relative magnitude of both wave types, the presence of viscous overstability can lead to the damping of an unstable density wave and vice versa. The damping of the short-scale viscous overstability by a density wave was investigated further by employing a simplified model of an axisymmetric ring perturbed by a nearby Lindblad resonance. A linear hydrodynamic stability analysis as well as local N-body simulations of this model system were performed and support the results of our large-scale hydrodynamical integrations.

Resonance identifications in Saturn’s rings

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 349-359
Author(s):  
M.E. Wiesel ◽  
F.A. Franklin
Keyword(s):  
Band Structure ◽  
Resonance Band ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
F Ring ◽  
Saturn's Rings

AbstractWhen Saturn’s oblateness perturbations are included, a single classical resonance splits into a resonance band structure. We have derived expressions for resonance location, libration region width, and the maximum librator range. We compare these predictions to areas of the C and B rings, the Cassini division, and the F ring, and offer some thoughts on possible mechanisms involved.

Comments on collision mechanics in ring systems

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 407-422
Author(s):  
William K. Hartmann
Keyword(s):  
Asteroid Belt ◽  
Surface Erosion ◽  
Surface Layers ◽  
Ring Systems ◽  
Eclipse Observations ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings

ABSTRACTThe nature of collisions within ring systems is reviewed with emphasis on Saturn's rings. The particles may have coherent icy cores and less coherent granular or frosty surface layers, consistent with thermal eclipse observations. Present-day collisions of such ring particles do not cause catastrophic fragmentation of the particles, although some minor surface erosion and reaccretion is possible. Evolution by collisional fragmentation is thus not as important as in the asteroid belt.

Voyager UVS observations of stellar occultations by the rings of Saturn

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 265-277
Author(s):  
J.B. Holbelg ◽  
W.T. Forrester
Keyword(s):  
Optical Depth ◽  
Distance Scale ◽  
Density Waves ◽  
Ring Density ◽  
Stellar Occultations ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings

ABSTRACTDuring the Voyager 1 and 2 Saturn encounters the ultraviolet spectrometers observed three separate stellar occultations by Saturn's rings. Together these three observations, which sampled the optical depth of the rings at resolutions from 3 to 6 km. can be used to establish a highly accurate distance scale allowing the identification of numerous ring features associated with resonances due to exterior satellites. Three separate observations of an eccentric ringlet near the location of the Titan apsidal resonance are discussed along with other ringlet-resonance associations occurring in the C ring. Density waves occurring in the A and B rings are reviewed and a detailed discussion of the analysis of one of these features is presented.

Profiling Saturn's rings by radio occultation

Icarus ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Essam A. Marouf ◽  
G. Leonard Tyler ◽  
Paul A. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings

Saturn's rings—A survey

Icarus ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.F. Cook ◽  
F.A. Franklin ◽  
F.D. Palluconi
Keyword(s):  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document