Saturn. AST 101 chapter 12. Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons Orbital and Physical Properties Orbital and Physical Properties

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1 Saturn Spectacular Rings and Mysterious Moons 12.1 Orbital and Physical Properties This figure shows the solar system from a vantage point that emphasizes the relationship of the jovian planets to the rest of the system Orbital and Physical Properties Our view of Saturn s rings Earth changes as Saturn orbits the Sun. Twice during Saturn s year orbit, the rings seem to disappear altogether as Earth passes through their plane and we see them edge-on. 3 1

2 12.1 Orbital and Physical Properties Basic Characteristics: Distance from Sun: 9.5 AU, 1.42 billion km, 884 million miles Revolution = 29.5 years Mass = 95x Earth Diameter = 120,540 km = 74,855 mi Density = 0.7 g/cm 3 4 Spacecraft sent to Saturn Pioneer 11: Launched in 1973 Arrived Jupiter 1974 Arrived Saturn in Spacecraft sent to Saturn Voyager 1 Launched in 1977 Jupiter 1979 Saturn 1980 Voyager 2 Launched in 1977 Jupiter 1979 Saturn 1981 Uranus 1986 Neptune

3 Spacecraft sent to Saturn Cassini Launched in 1997 Saturn July 2004 Mission ended Sept. 15, Saturn s Atmosphere This true-color image shows the delicate coloration of the cloud patterns on Saturn Saturn s Atmosphere The vertical structure of Saturn s atmosphere contains several cloud layers, like Jupiter, but Saturn s weaker gravity results in thicker clouds and a more uniform appearance. Cloud layers are thicker than Jupiter s; we see only the uppermost layer

4 12.2 Saturn s Atmosphere Saturn s atmosphere also shows zone and band structure, but coloration is much more subdued than Jupiter. Why? Lower temps, and Less gravity, causing greater separation of layers Mostly molecular hydrogen, helium, methane, and ammonia; far less helium than on Jupiter Saturn s Atmosphere Structure in Saturn s clouds can be seen more clearly in this false-color image Saturn s Atmosphere Wind patterns on Saturn are similar to those on Jupiter, with zonal flow. As on Jupiter, the visible bands appear to be associated with variations in wind speed. But winds on Saturn reach speeds even greater than those on Jupiter. 12 4

5 12.2 Saturn s Atmosphere Jupiter-style spots (storms) are rare on Saturn. They don t form often and dissipate quickly if they do. Cause: Ammonia crystals pushed up by plume of warm gas Saturn s Atmosphere Giant Storms on Saturn Saturn s Atmosphere A hurricane-like storm circling Saturn's north pole at about 89 degrees north latitude is inside the famous "hexagon" feature, which scientists think is a wandering jet stream that whips around the north pole at about 220 miles per hour. 15 5

6 Saturn s Atmosphere Below: This false-color image shows the unusual hexagonal vortex at Saturn s north pole. Above: The center of the hexagonal cloud system. 18 6

7 Saturn s Interior and Magnetosphere Interior structure similar to Jupiter s Saturn s Interior and Magnetosphere Internal Heat Source Saturn = internal energy half of Jupiter But since mass = 1/4 Jupiter, Saturn is actually producing 2x heat/kg Different process: Caused by separation of helium from hydrogen in interior Heavier helium sinking in layer of metallic hydrogen The colors represent different wavelengths: red is thermal heat originating within the planet; in blue, icy ring particles shimmer in sunlight scattered through the rings; in green, a thick covering of high-altitude hazes strongly reflect sunlight. 21 7

8 12.3 Saturn s Interior and Magnetosphere Saturn also has a strong magnetic field, but only 5% as strong as Jupiter. Particles from the Sun are pulled by Saturn's magnetic field toward the planet's poles, where they interact with electrically charged gas in the upper atmosphere and emit light (the aurora). Saturn s aurora can also be caused by electromagnetic waves generated when the planet's moons move through the plasma that fills Saturn's magnetosphere. 22 All four giant planets have a ring or rings encircling them. Each ring is made up of billions of small particles (moonlets). 23 Rings are labeled by letters In order from inside to out: C B Cassini s Division A F 24 8

9 Composition: Icy particles, almost like snowballs Broad rings, thin gaps 25 Rings = 70,000 km wide (43,500 mi) 20m thick Size of particles = grain of sand to house-size 26 Cassini took this close-up, true-color image The ringlets in the B ring are resolved to about 10 km Voyager probes showed Saturn s rings to be much more complex than originally thought Scale: Earth is shown on the same scale as the rings 27 9

10 Voyager 2 also confirmed that radial spokes occasionally form then dissipate on the B ring. The spokes are caused by small particles suspended just above the ring plane. Their origin is unclear. 28 Strangest ring of all is the outermost, F ring Braids and kinks Why? What causes this? Answer: the same thing that keeps the rings from dissipating. 29 Shepherding satellites 30 10

11 The peculiar motion of Saturn s co-orbital satellites Janus and Epimetheus. From A to C, moon 2 gains on moon 1. However, before it can overtake it, the two moons swap orbits, and moon 1 starts to pull ahead of moon 2 again, through points D and E. 31 The wavemaker moon, Daphnis (5 miles or 8 kilometers across) orbits within a 42-kilometer (26-mile) wide gap in the rings. The little moon's gravity raises waves in the edges of the gap in both the horizontal and vertical directions. 32 Closest distance that a moon could survive is called the Roche Limit Ring systems are all inside this limit 33 11

12 The Roche Limit for a rigid spherical satellite is the distance (d) from the planet at which the gravitational force on the satellite is exactly equal to the tidal force pulling the satellite away from the planet where R m is the radius of the satellite, M M is the mass of the planet, and M m is the mass of the satellite. 34 Why rings? Two theories: Breakup theory Shattered satellite Leftover theory Particles unable to come together as a satellite in the first place Gravity the cause in either case The Moons of Saturn Many of Saturn s moons appear to be made of water ice In addition to the small moons, Saturn has One large moon Titan (2 nd largest in the solar system, after Jupiter s Ganymede) Six medium-sized moons Mimas Enceladus Tethys Dione Rhea Iapetus 36 12

13 Titan Discovered in 1656 by Christiaan Huygens He did not name the satellite He referred to it as Luna Saturni (Saturn's moon). Others usually referred to it as Huygens' moon. The name Titan was proposed in 1847 by the English astronomer William Herschel Did not become popular until end of the 19th century 37 Titan Only satellite with substantial atmosphere Roughly same diameter, mass, and density as Callisto 38 Titan Atmosphere: Mostly nitrogen and argon Hydrocarbons, i.e., methane, ethane, propane Hydrogen cyanide Starting point for the formation of some components of DNA Cyanogens Cyanoacetylene 39 13

14 Titan Atmosphere: Lowest: methane clouds Higher: reddish clouds of complex organic chemicals Completely blankets surface 40 Cassini mission to Saturn 41 Cassini mission to Saturn Mission: Mission launched in 1997, two Venus flyby boosts Arrived in July 2004, mission ended Sep 2017 Multiple flybys of Titan Huygens probe: 2.5 hour descent through the atmosphere of Titan (1/14/2005) Power after landing ~30 minutes Resolution: ~ 1 cm on the surface Cassini imaging of the Titan surface and atmosphere: Imaging & spectra through the smog in spectral windows Detailed radar mapping of the surface Spectroscopy & imaging of the upper atmosphere Cold biology: First serious observational study of the possibility of life in a very cold environment 42 14

15 Cassini images of Titan 43 Cassini images of Titan: Double Haze As energetic sunlight strikes high level atmospheric nitrogen and methane, trace amounts of organic compounds such as ethane and carbon dioxide appear to form. These and other complex organic molecules likely populate the detached haze layer. 44 Cassini images of Titan: Coastlines? IR image River channel and ridge area 45 15

16 Cassini mission to Saturn Images taken at four different altitudes during descent Jan. 14, Cassini images of Titan: Below the clouds Surface seen during decent Boundary between light and dark areas White streaks seen near this boundary could be ground 'fog' of methane or ethane vapor Wind speed estimated at around 6-7 meters per second 47 Cassini images of Titan: On the surface Surface is darker than originally expected Consists of a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice Evidence of erosion at the base of these pebbles 48 16

17 12.5 The Moons of Saturn Based on measurements of Titan s gravitational field during Cassini s many flybys, Titan s interior appears to be largely a rocky-silicate mix. Subterranean layer of liquid water?? The Moons of Saturn Saturn s mid-sized moons 50 Enceladus Geologically active Tiger stripes (cracks in fresh ice) Icy volcanism Fountains of ice crystals and water vapor Evidence of presence of some organic molecules Tidal heating, but not enough to explain volcanism 51 17

18 52 Enceladus 53 Enceladus Plumes spray water ice out from many locations along the "tiger stripes" near the south pole of Enceladus. The tiger stripes are fissures that spray icy particles, water vapor, and organic compounds

19 Tethys Sept. 24, 2015: Cassini imaged Enceladus passing in front of larger moon Tethys. Enceladus is 313 miles (504 km) across, whereas Tethys is 660 miles (1,062 km) across. 55 Mimas Diameter = 246 mi (396 km) Density = 1.15 g/cm³, indicates that it is composed mostly of water ice with only a small amount of rock. Most distinctive feature: giant impact crater 81 mi (130 km) Named Herschel after the moon's discoverer. Almost a third of the moon's own diameter Fractures on opposite side of Mimas created by shock waves from the impact 56 Mimas 57 19

20 Iapetus Diameter = 1,460 km (907 mi) Coated with black dust on one side, exposed white ice on the other. Dust suspected to have originated from another Saturnian moon, Phoebe, but not sure. Origin: debris expelled from meteoric impacts. 58 Iapetus 59 Dione Diameter = 1,128 km About two thirds of Dione's mass is water ice, and the remaining is a dense core, probably silicate rock. Surface features: Chasms (long, deep, steep-sided depressions) Ridges Fossae (long narrow depressions) Craters 60 20

21 Dione Darker colors due to magnetospheric particles and radiation striking those surfaces. Lighter areas caused by icy dust from Saturn's E-ring. 61 Rhea Surface divided into two geologically different areas based on crater density First contains craters larger than 40 km in diameter Second (in parts of the polar and equatorial regions) has only craters under that size This suggests that a major resurfacing event occurred some time during its formation. 62 Rhea Darker colors due to magnetospheric particles and radiation striking those surfaces. Lighter areas caused by icy dust from Saturn's E-ring

22 Summary of Chapter 12 Saturn, like Jupiter, rotates differentially and is significantly flattened Saturn s weather patterns are in some ways similar to Jupiter s, but there are far fewer storms Saturn generates its own heat through the compression of helium raindrops Saturn has a large magnetic field and extensive magnetosphere Saturn s most prominent feature is its rings, which are in its equatorial plane 64 Summary of Chapter 12 (cont.) The rings have considerable gross and fine structure, with segments and gaps; their particles are icy and grain- to boulder-sized Interactions with medium and small moons determine the ring structure The rings are entirely within the Roche limit, where larger bodies would be torn apart by tidal forces Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system Titan has an extremely thick atmosphere, and little is known about its surface or interior Medium-sized moons are rock and water ice; their terrains vary Many of these moons are tidally locked to Saturn 65 22

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