Vertical Warping of the Jovian Ring
Abstract
Reports of vertical corrugations in Saturn's D rings, originally reported by Hedman et al. (Icarus 188, 89-107, 2007) are reminiscent of a similar phenomenon seen in Galileo images of the Jovian ring from 1996. The pattern only appeared in three images and was never seen again. Later images from Galileo in 2000 and from New Horizons in 2007 had similar viewing geometry, resolution and sensitivity, but did not reveal any patterns with comparable wavelengths. In light of the result that the corrugations in Saturn's rings are a spiral that winds tighter due to differential nodal regression, we revisit these data sets to determine if a similar phenomenon could be at work at Jupiter. A re-analysis of the 1996 images reveals that they comprise not one but two vertical corrugation patterns. The stronger pattern has a wavelength of 1840 km, whereas the second has a wavelength of 640 km and about half the level of brightness variation. The inferred vertical deviations from the equatorial plane are 100 m. Assuming the differential nodal regression rate expected for the Jovian ring, we predict that these patterns should have wavelengths of 115 and 65 km in the Galileo images from 2000. These two patterns have now been detected. The wavelengths should be 19 and 14 km in New Horizons data, too short to be detected in that data set. The confirmation of similar patterns in the rings of Jupiter and Saturn, and the double-pattern seen in the Jupiter data, provide new constraints on the frequency and nature of the events that initiate them. Possible formation mechanisms will be discussed.
- Publication:
-
AAS/Division of Dynamical Astronomy Meeting #41
- Pub Date:
- May 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010DDA....41.1103S