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Material Flux From the Rings of Saturn Into Its Atmosphere
Author(s) -
Perry M. E.,
Waite J. H.,
Mitchell D. G.,
Miller K. E.,
Cravens T. E.,
Perryman R. S.,
Moore L.,
Yelle R. V.,
Hsu H.W.,
Hedman M. M.,
Cuzzi J. N.,
Strobel D. F.,
Hamil O. Q.,
Glein C. R.,
Paxton L. J.,
Teolis B. D.,
McNutt R. L.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2018gl078575
Subject(s) - rings of saturn , atmosphere (unit) , saturn , astrobiology , exosphere , flux (metallurgy) , physics , regolith , astronomy , ion , planet , materials science , meteorology , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
During Cassini's final, spectacular months, in situ instruments made the first direct measurements of nanoparticles, finding an exceptionally large flow from the rings into Saturn's atmosphere. Cassini's Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer measured material in three altitude bands and found a global‐integrated flux of 2–20 × 10 4 kg/s that is dominated by hydrocarbon material <10 4 u. Ranging from clusters of a few molecules to radii of several nanometers, nanoparticles are ubiquitous throughout Saturn's rings but embedded in the regolith of larger particles and not detectable as independent particles using remote observations. The smallest nanoparticles are susceptible to atmosphere drag by Saturn's tenuous exosphere that reaches the inner edge of the D ring. The unsustainable large flux suggests a recent disturbance of Saturn's inner ring material, possibly associated with the clumping that appeared in the D68 ringlet in 2015.