Work

Physical Characteristics and Non-keplerian Orbital Motion of “propeller” Moons Embedded in Saturn’s Rings

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: We report the discovery of several large "propeller" moons in the outer part of Saturn's A ring, objects large enough to be followed over the 5 year duration of the Cassini mission. These are the first objects ever discovered that can be tracked as individual moons, but do not orbit in empty space. We infer sizes up to 1–2 km for the unseen moonlets at the center of the propeller-shaped structures, though many structural and photometric properties of propeller structures remain unclear. Finally, we demonstrate that some propellers undergo sustained non-Keplerian orbit motion.

Source: The Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/718/2/l92

Authors: Matthew S. Tiscareno, Joseph A. Burns, Miodrag Sremčević, Kevin Beurle, Matthew M. Hedman, Nicholas J. Cooper, Anthony J. Milano, Michael W. Evans, Carolyn C. Porco, Joseph N. Spitale, John W. Weiss

Institutions: Cornell University, University of Colorado Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Queen Mary University of London, Space Science Institute, Carleton College

Language: English

Topic: Astro and Planetary Science

Subfield: Space and Planetary Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Awards: SATURN'S RINGS PROVIDE AN ACCESSIBLE NATURAL LABORATORY FOR OBSERVING DISK-PARTICLE INTERACTIONS WHICH ARE ALSO AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE EVOLUTION, DISK-MOON INTERACTIONS IN SATURN'S RINGS: EDGES, WAVES, AND PROPELLERSSATURN'S RINGS PROVIDE AN ACCESSIBLE NATURAL LABORATORY FOR OBSERVING DISK-PAR

OpenAlex ID: W1995248533

FWCI: 6.947

Cites: 15

Cited by: 69

Related to: 10