A micrometeorite erosion model and the age of Saturn's rings

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Astronomical Models, Erosion, Micrometeoroids, Planetary Evolution, Saturn Rings, Gravitational Effects, Mass Flow Rate, Optical Thickness, Particle Size Distribution, Saturn, Micrometeorites, Erosion, Models, Age, Rings, Particles, Size, C Ring, Charged Particles, Debris, Magnetic Fields, Gravity Effects, B Ring, Oscillations, Models, Formation, Optical Properties, Thickness, Mass, Flux, Calculations, Distribution, Surface, Density, Wavelengths

Scientific paper

The authors employ in this paper a much more refined and detailed model of the ring erosion than that of Northrop and Hill (1983). The consequences of impact erosion of the rings via micrometeorite bombardment followed by electromagnetic removal of some of the products are calculated using the Morfill et al. (1983) estimates of the micrometeorite flux. From this the authors obtain improved estimates of the lifetime of the rings (4.4 to 67 myr). From the radial dependence of the optical thickness at the C-B ring boundary, they identify submicron grains (not plasma) as the principal mass loss carriers. However, mass transport in the form of ions may be important elsewhere in the rings, particularly in the B ring (e.g., Ip 1983).

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