Fine-Scale Structure in Saturn's Rings

Details Fine-Scale Structure in Saturn's Rings Fine-Scale Structure in Saturn's Rings

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006agufm.p34a..04c&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2006, abstract #P34A-04

Physics

5759 Rings And Dust, 6265 Planetary Rings

Scientific paper

The Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph will have observed more than 20 stellar occultations by Saturn's rings at diffraction-limited resolutions of ~20-40 m. Multiple views of the rings at different viewing angles have enabled models of aligned, ephemeral, gravitational agglomerations of particles, or self-gravity wakes, that have a wavelength of ~ 100 m. Occultations show a clear signature of these wakes throughout the A and B rings. At locations where occultations are nearly aligned with the orbital motion of the particles the effective radial resolution reaches the diffraction limit. We have observed small-scale structures (~ 100 m) in the outer B ring that are not azimuthally symmetric with one such occultation. Two occultations in the Fall of 2006 will have azimuthal scans in the inner B ring and outer C ring providing new opportunities to look for small- scale radial structure. We will present results of small-scale structure and azimuthal variability. Occultations from multiple angles with respect to the rings also provide an opportunity to measure the vertical structure of the ring at abrupt ring edges. We will present results of our analysis of the Cassini UVIS occultations, including azimuthal asymmetries, density wave profiles, vertical, and radial structure.

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