The influence of particle adhesion on the stability of agglomerates in Saturn's rings
- In planetary rings, binary collisions and mutual gravity are the predominant particle interactions. Based on a viscoelastic contact model we implement the concept of static adhesion. We discuss the collision dynamics and obtain a threshold velocity for restitution or agglomeration to occur. The latter takes place within a range of a few cm s(-1) for icy grains at low temperatures. The stability of such two-body agglomerates bound by adhesion and gravity in a tidal environment is discussed and applied to the saturnian system. A maximal agglomerate size for a given orbit location is obtained. In this way we are able to resolve the borderline of the zone where agglomerates can exist as a function of the agglomerate size and thus gain an alternative to the classical Roche limit. An increasing ring grain size with distance to Saturn as observed by the VIMS-experiment on board the Cassini spacecraft can be found by our estimates and implications for the saturnian system will be addressed.
Author details: | Nicole Albers, Frank SpahnORCiDGND |
---|---|
URL: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00191035 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2005.10.011 |
ISSN: | 0019-1035 |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Year of first publication: | 2006 |
Publication year: | 2006 |
Release date: | 2017/03/24 |
Source: | Icarus : international journal of solar system studies. - ISSN 0019-1035. - 181 (2006), 1, S. 292 - 301 |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik und Astronomie |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Institution name at the time of the publication: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik |