Publication Date:
2019-06-28
Description:
A perturbation approach for the gravitoelectrodynamic forces encountered in the corotating plasma environment of Saturn is used to determine the stability of charged grains, given a random initial velocity. Attention is given to the implications of the Northrop and Hill (1982) and Mendis et al. (1982) results for the formation of the Saturnian ring system, and it is suggested that the marginal z stability radius at 1.5245 Saturn radii for Kepler-launched particles is due to an erosion process with ejecta of the order 0.05-0.5 microns, rather than that of the previously suggested plasma. The diffuseness of the Saturnian rings beyond the F ring is also explained in terms of instability, while a new critical radius for r instability is suggestd for the optical depth feature at 1.72 Saturn radii. The F ring is analyzed in detail.
Keywords:
LUNAR AND PLANETARY EXPLORATION
Type:
Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227); 90; 1375-138
Format:
text
