AbstractThe system formed by the F ring and two close satellites, Prometheus and Pandora, has been analysed since the time that Voyager visited the planet Saturn. During the ring plane crossing in 1995 the satellites were found in different positions as predicted by the Voyager data. Besides the mutual effects of Prometheus and Pandora, they are also disturbed by a massive F ring. Showalter et al. [Icarus 100 (1992) 394] proposed that, the core of the ring has a mass which corresponds to a moonlet varying in size from 15 to 70 km in radius which can prevent the ring from spreading due to dissipative forces, such as Poynting–Robertson drag and collisions. We have divided this work into two parts. Firstly we analysed the secular interactions between Prometheus–Pandora and a massive F ring using the secular theory. Our results show the variation in eccentricity and inclination of the satellites and the F ring taking into account a massive ring corresponding to a moonlet of different sizes. There is also a population of dust particles in the ring in the company of moonlets at different sizes [Icarus 109 (1997) 304]. We also analysed the behaviour of these particles under the effects of the Poynting–Robertson drag and radiation pressure. Our results show that the time scale proposed for a dust particle to leave the ring is much shorter than predicted before even in the presence of a coorbital moonlet. This result does not agree with the confinement model proposed by Dermott et al. [Nature 284 (1980) 309]. In 2004, Cassini mission will perform repeated observations of the whole system, including observations of the satellites and the F ring environment. These data will help us to better understand this system.


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    Titel :

    Some comments on the F ring-Prometheus–Pandora environment


    Beteiligte:

    Erschienen in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 33 , 12 ; 2298-2302


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    2003-01-01


    Format / Umfang :

    5 pages




    Medientyp :

    Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)


    Format :

    Elektronische Ressource


    Sprache :

    Englisch




    Some Comments on the F Ring-Prometheus-Pandora Environment

    Winter, S. M. G. / Winter, O. C. / International Council of Scientific Unions | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2004


    Some comments on the F ring-Prometheus-Pandora environment

    Giuliatti Winter, S.M. | Online Contents | 2004


    Pandora

    Goethe, Johann Wolfgang | GWLB - Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Bibliothek | 1963


    The Pandora Survey

    Byrne | Online Contents | 2008


    Prometheus

    Glathe,H.P. / Daimler-Benz,Stuttgart,DE | Kraftfahrwesen | 1988