Abstract
Recent data obtained from the Voyager spacecrafts and ground-based measurements indicate: (1) the rings have a thickness of at most 150 m (ref. 1) and probably several times less2,3; (2) the rings are mostly composed of ice particles ranging from centimetres to metres in size4; (3) the rings are subdivided into a large number of ringlets with a radial dimension ranging from 10-km down to the several metres resolution of the Voyager spacecraft's camera5; (4) the B ring contains very many optical depth variations (0.6–3)3. This behaviour is essentially determined by the collisional properties of the rings' ice particles. Here we report some preliminary results from an experiment designed to measure the coefficient of restitution of ice particles colliding at impact velocities relevant to Saturn's rings. We apply these results to simple dynamical models for Saturn's rings and deduce the rings' thickness to be ≺5 m. We also show that regions with optical depth <0.5, such as the B ring, are unstable to viscous diffusion. Such an instability may be the cause of optical depth variations in the B ring.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
