The E ring of Saturn and satellite Enceladus.
Abstract
Photographic imagery from Pioneer and Voyager flyby satellites has been used to study the microphysical properties of Saturn's outermost E-ring, and to determine the physical relationship between the E-ring and the satellite Enceladus. The optical and infrared characteristics of the E-ring are explained in terms of Mie scattering of ice spheres with an effective diameter of 2 to 2.25 microns and an effective variance of 0.1 to 1.5. It is suggested that the E-ring is continuously replenished by volcanic eruptions on Enceladus, and recent tectonic evidence is cited in support of this hypothesis. A number of similarities in the relationship between the E-ring and Enceladus and Io and its torus are discussed, within the framework of a general model of outer solar system volcanism and planetary ring interaction.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Geophysical Research
- Pub Date:
- October 1984
- DOI:
- 10.1029/JB089iB11p09459
- Bibcode:
- 1984JGR....89.9459P
- Keywords:
-
- Enceladus;
- Particles;
- Planetology;
- Saturn Rings;
- Backscattering;
- Io;
- Pioneer 11 Space Probe;
- Planetary Evolution;
- Spheres;
- Volcanology;
- Voyager Project;
- SATURN;
- RINGS;
- E RING;
- SATELLITES;
- ENCELADUS;
- OPTICAL PROPERTIES;
- ALBEDO;
- PARTICLES;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES;
- INFRARED;
- WAVELENGTHS;
- SCATTERING;
- COMPOSITION;
- ORIGIN;
- FORMATION;
- SOURCE;
- VOLCANISM;
- ERUPTIONS;
- HYPOTHESES;
- STRUCTURE;
- INJECTION;
- COMPARISONS;
- Enceladus:Saturn Rings;
- Saturn Rings:Enceladus