Detection of Centimeter-Sized Meteoroid Impact Events in Saturn's F Ring

Voyager images reveal that three prominent clumps in Saturn's F ring were short-lived, appearing rapidly and then spreading and decaying in brightness over periods of ∼2 weeks. These features arise from hypervelocity impacts by ∼10-centimeter meteoroids into F ring bodies. Future ring observati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1998-11, Vol.282 (5391), p.1099-1102
Main Author: Showalter, Mark R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Earth, ocean, space
Ejecta
Exact sciences and technology
Extraterrestrial Environment
Hypervelocity impact
Impact events
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meteoroids
Meteors & meteorites
Natural satellites
Observations
Optical thickness
Phase angle
Planetary rings
Planets, their satellites and rings. Asteroids
Profiles
Ring system
Saturn
Saturn (Planet)
Saturnian satellites
Scientific Concepts
Scientific imaging
Size distribution
Solar system
Space life sciences
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Summary:Voyager images reveal that three prominent clumps in Saturn's F ring were short-lived, appearing rapidly and then spreading and decaying in brightness over periods of ∼2 weeks. These features arise from hypervelocity impacts by ∼10-centimeter meteoroids into F ring bodies. Future ring observations of these impact events could constrain the centimeter-sized component of the meteoroid population, which is otherwise unmeasurable but plays an important role in the evolution of rings and surfaces in the outer solar system. The F ring's numerous other clumps are much longer lived and appear to be unrelated to impacts.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.282.5391.1099