Perturbations to Saturn's F-ring strands at their closest approach to Prometheus
Planetary and Space Science
By: Winter S.M. Giuliatti, C.D. Murray, and M. Gordon
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Abstract
The strange morphology of the F ring of Saturn is thought to be caused by the perturbing effects of two close satellites, Prometheus and Pandora. The F ring and the satellites also experience periodic close encounters as a result of differential precession arising from Saturn's oblateness. Using the orbits of the F-ring strands derived by Murray et al. (1997, Icarus 129, 304-316) the behaviour of the ring particles at their closest approach to Prometheus is analysed using numerical simulations. The results show that a gap and a wave are formed in the ring at each encounter with the satellite. However, the gap is expected to have a short lifetime due to keplerian shear.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Perturbations to Saturn's F-ring strands at their closest approach to Prometheus |
| Series title | Planetary and Space Science |
| DOI | 10.1016/S0032-0633(00)00009-X |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Year Published | 2000 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Description | 11 p. |
| First page | 817 |
| Last page | 827 |
| Other Geospatial | Pandora, Prometheus, Saturn |