The inner edge of Saturn's B ring

Details The inner edge of Saturn's B ring The inner edge of Saturn's B ring

Aug 1983

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1983jgr....88.6102n&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 88, Aug. 1, 1983, p. 6102-6108.

Physics

31

Planetary Gravitation, Planetary Magnetic Fields, Saturn Rings, Zonal Harmonics, Charged Particles, Magnetic Dipoles, Pioneer Space Probes, Voyager 1 Spacecraft, Voyager 2 Spacecraft, Saturn, Rings, B Ring, Radius, Charged Particles, Optical Properties, Harmonics, Models, Magnetic Fields, Gravity Fields, Theoretical Studies, Observations, Voyager 1, Voyager 2, Calculations, Depth, Photopolarimetry

Scientific paper

The sharp, 90 km wide transition from an optical depth of 0.2 in the C ring to 1 in the B ring begins at 91,970 km from Saturn's center. This radius is found to be almost exactly at the inward stability limit of charged particles launched in the ring plane at the local Kepler velocity, provided these particles have large charge to mass ratio. The zonal harmonic models of Saturn's magnetic field from the Voyager data and the gravitational field model from Pioneer data are essential to get the very close agreement between theory and observation. The theoretical stability limits are 91,973±145 km from Voyager 1 magnetic field data and 91,991±145 km from Voyager 2 magnetic data. The zonal harmonic magnetic field lines are not perpendicular to the ring plane. Therefore, in addition to the magnetic mirror, gravitational, and centrigual forces, an unknown force must be postulated to produce equilibrium in the ring plane and make the stability calculation meaningful.

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