Rigid Aggregate Formation (and Destruction) as a Mechanism for Emergent Particle Properties in Saturn's Outer A Ring

Details Rigid Aggregate Formation (and Destruction) as a Mechanism for Emergent Particle Properties in Saturn's Outer A Ring Rigid Aggregate Formation (and Destruction) as a Mechanism for Emergent Particle Properties in Saturn's Outer A Ring

Oct 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2205p&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #22.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.989

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We continue our studies modeling rigid bonding within dense N-body systems in local coordinates, such as may occur in Saturn's A and B rings. Laboratory experiments [1] suggest that such bonding is common if the particles are coated in a layer of frost, and recent work [2, 3] shows that such "sticky” particles may account for unexplained dynamics within the dense rings.
Our modified version of pkdgrav [4] includes the unique capability to model the creation and destruction of rigid bonds of arbitrary strength between colliding particles in a non-inertial rotating frame. Particles impacting below a user-defined speed threshold form a rigid bond that may subsequently break (without deformation), given sufficient impact speed or stress. While the strength of these frosty bonds remains uncertain, our work begins with plausible assumptions based on currently available data. We present results from 3D simulations of ring material (approximately a third of a square km in area) that explore the parameter space, including a range of merging and fragmentation thresholds, bond strengths, ring surface densities, and particle sizes. We show that a reasonable range of these parameters is consistent with data for emergent particle properties in the A ring, as seen by Voyager [5]. In matching to these observables, this range provides constraints on the bonding process potentially at work in the dense rings of Saturn.
This work is supported primarily by a NASA Earth and Space Sciences Fellowship (NESSF).
References: [1] Eg. Hatzes et al. (1991), Icarus 89, 113-121. [2] Tremaine (2003), Astron. J. 125, 894-901. [3] Porco et al. (2008), Astron. J. 136, 2172. [4] Perrine et al. (2010), Icarus, submitted. [5] Zebker et al. (1985), Icarus 64, 531-548.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Rigid Aggregate Formation (and Destruction) as a Mechanism for Emergent Particle Properties in Saturn's Outer A Ring does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Rigid Aggregate Formation (and Destruction) as a Mechanism for Emergent Particle Properties in Saturn's Outer A Ring, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Rigid Aggregate Formation (and Destruction) as a Mechanism for Emergent Particle Properties in Saturn's Outer A Ring will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1122217