The stability of Saturn's rings

1951 ◽  
Vol 244 (874) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Small Particles ◽  
Saturnian System ◽  
Single Ring ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Conditions Of Stability ◽  
Saturn's Rings ◽  
Large Primary

Maxwell determined the conditions of stability of a single ring of small particles moving round a large primary. He also made some incomplete remarks on the effects of introducing a second ring. The present investigation considers in greater detail the stability of two rings of particles moving about a primary and subject to the gravitational attractions of the primary and of each other. It is shown that such a system, under conditions satisfied by the Saturnian system, is stable, the particles oscillating finitely about their mean positions. It is inferred that the Saturnian system, considered as a number of such rings, is therefore also stable.

On the stability of Saturn's rings

1981 ◽  
Vol 248 ◽  
pp. L83 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. N. C. Lin ◽  
P. Bodenheimer
Keyword(s):  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Saturn's Rings

scholarly journals On the stability of Saturn's rings to gravity disturbances

2003 ◽  
Vol 400 (1) ◽  
pp. 375-383 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Griv ◽  
M. Gedalin ◽  
C. Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Gravity Disturbances ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Saturn's Rings

Small particles and self-gravity wakes in Saturn's rings from UVIS and VIMS stellar occultations

Icarus ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 279 ◽  
pp. 36-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Jerousek ◽  
Joshua E. Colwell ◽  
Larry W. Esposito ◽  
Philip D. Nicholson ◽  
Matthew M. Hedman
Keyword(s):  
Small Particles ◽  
Stellar Occultations ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Self Gravity ◽  
Saturn's Rings

Physical properties of Saturn's rings

1984 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 211-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey N. Cuzzi
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Particle Density ◽  
Bulk Material ◽  
Small Particles ◽  
Water Ice ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
Saturn's Rings ◽  
Classical Ring ◽  
Sharp Cutoff

A review is given of important features of the rings, touching only lightly on aspects covered by other speakers (Spokes, E ring). This extended abstract will only convey the high points of the talk.Most of the material in Saturn's rings is concentrated in the B ring, with a lesser amount in the A ring and only small amounts in the C ring and Cassini Division. There is a very different character to these classical ring regions; the C and Cassini particles are darker and more neutral in color; (Smith et al. 1981, 1982). The A and B regions contain nearly all of the “small” particles, from microns to millimeters. Overall, however, the particles are fairly well characterized by Voyager radio occultation results as roughly following an r-3powerlaw between about 1 cm and a few meters (Tyler et al. 1982, Marouf et al. 1982). A fairly sharp cutoff in the size distribution is seen at radii varying with location from about 1 to about 5 meters. The material of the ring particles is probably mostly water ice (see e.g., Pollack 1975) but the redness of the rings requires the presence of minor constitutents. Combinations of ground-based radar and radio emission observations (Pollack 1975, Cuzzi and Pollack 1978; Pettengill, this issue) strongly indicate that the non-icy component comprises a small fraction of the total bulk material. In fact, mass densities derived from density waves (e.g. Holberg et al. 1982) and CRAND measurements (Cooper et al. 1982) combined with Voyager particle size measurements indicate a particle density more like that of snow or frost than that of pure ice.

Subjects great and small: Maxwell on Saturn's rings and kinetic theory

2008 ◽  
Vol 366 (1871) ◽  
pp. 1697-1705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Garber
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Theory ◽  
Kinetic Theory Of Gases ◽  
Saturn’S Rings ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Saturn's Rings

Since 1890, James Clerk Maxwell's reputation has rested upon his theory of electromagnetism. However, during his lifetime he was recognized ‘as the leading molecular scientist’ of his generation. We will explore the foundation of his significance before 1890 using his work on the stability of Saturn's rings and the development of his kinetic theory of gases, and then briefly discuss the grounds for the change of his reputation.

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