Physics
Scientific paper
Jun 1978
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1978jgr....83.2597c&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 83, June 1, 1978, p. 2597-2602.
Physics
22
Ice, Proton Irradiation, Radiation Belts, Saturn Rings, Sputtering, Uranus Rings, Energy Spectra, Jupiter Atmosphere, Lyman Alpha Radiation, Maxwell-Boltzmann Density Function, Pioneer Space Probes, Planetary Radiation, Proton Flux Density, Thermal Instability
Scientific paper
Observations by Weiser et al. (1977) indicate that the outer portion of the rings of Saturn is probably immersed in intense particle radiation belts. In the present paper, known particle environment parameters of the Jovian magnetosphere are scaled to the planet Saturn. These particle fluxes are used together with recent laboratory ice sputtering rates to demonstate that a sufficient flux of hydrogen atoms can be produced to account for the reported Lyman-alpha emission of Weiser. Pioneer 10 and 11 data on the Jovian radiation belts are scaled to the Saturnian radiation belts under the assumption that the radiation belt densities are proportional to the plasma source strengths. The projected Saturn particle environments are used to show that the lifetime of Saturn's ring particles, at the outer edge, can be less than the age of the solar system. It is suggested that the very low albedo recently reported for the rings of Uranus could result from sputtering away of primordial ices on the ring grains by Uranian radiation belt particles.
Cheng Andrew F.
Lanzerotti Louis J.
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