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Science (november 25, 2005) |
| Guest_AlexBlackwell_* |
 Nov 25 2005, 05:47 PM
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From the November 25, 2005, issue of Science:
Cassini Discovers a Kinematic Spiral Ring Around Saturn S. Charnoz, et al. Science 310, 1300-1304 (2005). Abstract Supporting Online Material See also the accompanying Perspectives piece by Mark Showalter: Saturn's Strangest Ring Becomes Curiouser and Curiouser Mark R. Showalter Science 310, 1287-1288 (2005). Summary |
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Nov 27 2005, 05:42 PM
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 19-March 05 From: Princeton, NJ, USA Member No.: 212 |
Many more details of this stunning finding are available at the CICLOPS Website
View an informative slide presentation under the headline: "Cassini Discovers the F Ring Is Embraced by a Spiral" 24 November 2005 http://ciclops.org/view_event.php?id=43 |
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| Guest_BruceMoomaw_* |
Nov 28 2005, 02:16 AM
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Actually, it seems as though -- for once -- we have a ring phenomenon so simple in nature that even we unscientific dummies can perfectly understand what's going on. (I was intrigued to see, though, that Prometheus will plow through the F Ring in 2009. That should put on quite a display. We are only now coming to grasp just how changable at least the small-scale features of the rings are over time, as Larry Esposito's vision comes true of small "moonlets" in different parts of the rings slowly hauling in other material despite the Roche Limit, and then periodically getting splashed all over the place again by meteoroid impacts.)
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Nov 28 2005, 03:30 PM
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2454 Joined: 8-July 05 From: NGC 5907 Member No.: 430 |
QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Nov 27 2005, 09:16 PM) Actually, it seems as though -- for once -- we have a ring phenomenon so simple in nature that even we unscientific dummies can perfectly understand what's going on. (I was intrigued to see, though, that Prometheus will plow through the F Ring in 2009. That should put on quite a display. We are only now coming to grasp just how changable at least the small-scale features of the rings are over time, as Larry Esposito's vision comes true of small "moonlets" in different parts of the rings slowly hauling in other material despite the Roche Limit, and then periodically getting splashed all over the place again by meteoroid impacts.)  Anyone who has read Niven and Pournelle's Footfall knows the REAL reason the F ring is twisted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footfall 
-------------------- "After having some business dealings with men, I am occasionally chagrined,
and feel as if I had done some wrong, and it is hard to forget the ugly circumstance. I see that such intercourse long continued would make one thoroughly prosaic, hard, and coarse. But the longest intercourse with Nature, though in her rudest moods, does not thus harden and make coarse. A hard, sensible man whom we liken to a rock is indeed much harder than a rock. From hard, coarse, insensible men with whom I have no sympathy, I go to commune with the rocks, whose hearts are comparatively soft." - Henry David Thoreau, November 15, 1853 |
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 Nov 28 2005, 05:12 PM
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 154 Joined: 17-March 05 Member No.: 206 |
QUOTE (ljk4-1 @ Nov 28 2005, 11:30 AM) Anyone who has read Niven and Pournelle's Footfall knows the REAL reason the F ring is twisted. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footfall Yes, it amazing what the fusion drive flame from a ship can do to a ring system! Of course, the Fithp have been waiting out there at Saturn since 1980 so it's about time they headed this way... 
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Nov 28 2005, 05:26 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: 19-March 05 From: Princeton, NJ, USA Member No.: 212 |
More on the F-ring spiral today from space.com
28 Nov 2005 "Saturn Surprise: One Ring is Actually a Spiral" http://space.com/scienceastronomy/051128_mystery_monday.html |
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Nov 28 2005, 05:41 PM
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#7
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 Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2492 Joined: 15-January 05 From: center Italy Member No.: 150 |
QUOTE (mars loon @ Nov 27 2005, 05:42 PM) Many more details of this stunning finding are available at the CICLOPS Website View an informative slide presentation under the headline: "Cassini Discovers the F Ring Is Embraced by a Spiral" 24 November 2005 http://ciclops.org/view_event.php?id=43 Thanks for the link, the "movie" is nice and very clear... So, for 2009 we have a "Prometheus promise" !  This is another very good reason for a Cassini mission extension! 
-------------------- I always think before posting! - Marco -
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Nov 28 2005, 09:57 PM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 624 Joined: 10-August 05 Member No.: 460 |
QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Nov 27 2005, 07:16 PM) Actually, it seems as though -- for once -- we have a ring phenomenon so simple in nature that even we unscientific dummies can perfectly understand what's going on. (I was intrigued to see, though, that Prometheus will plow through the F Ring in 2009. That should put on quite a display. We are only now coming to grasp just how changable at least the small-scale features of the rings are over time, as Larry Esposito's vision comes true of small "moonlets" in different parts of the rings slowly hauling in other material despite the Roche Limit, and then periodically getting splashed all over the place again by meteoroid impacts.) I don't think it is quite that simple, at least if I understand what appears to be happening - why on each revolution do the rings get smaller? If this is what is happening, why haven't all the rings collapsed, and a long time ago? The moonlets should introduce a periodicity, not a progressive march inward. Where is the braking force? Are there some orbital distances that are more stable than others? Are the rings truly an LP record, or is there a Saturn-iancarnation of Bode's Law??? Stay tuned
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