The Equatorial Ridges of Pan and Atlas: Terminal Accretionary Ornaments?

In the outer regions of Saturn's main rings, strong tidal forces balance gravitational accretion processes. Thus, unusual phenomena may be expected there. The Cassini spacecraft has recently revealed the strange "flying saucer" shape of two small satellites, Pan and Atlas, located in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2007-12, Vol.318 (5856), p.1622-1624
Main Authors: Charnoz, Sébastien, Brahic, André, Thomas, Peter C., Porco, Carolyn C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accretion
Artificial satellites
Astrophysics
Cosmochemistry. Extraterrestrial geology
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Earths Moon
Equatorial regions
Exact sciences and technology
Extraterrestrial geology
Geology
Gravity
Hemispheres
Orbital velocity
Particle trajectories
Satellite orbits
Satellites
Saturn
Saturnian satellites
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Summary:In the outer regions of Saturn's main rings, strong tidal forces balance gravitational accretion processes. Thus, unusual phenomena may be expected there. The Cassini spacecraft has recently revealed the strange "flying saucer" shape of two small satellites, Pan and Atlas, located in this region, showing prominent equatorial ridges. The accretion of ring particles onto the equatorial surfaces of already-formed bodies embedded in the rings may explain the formation of the ridges. This ridge formation process is in good agreement with detailed Cassini images showing differences between rough polar and smooth equatorial terrains. We propose that Pan and Atlas ridges are kilometers-thick "ring-particle piles" formed after the satellites themselves and after the flattening of the rings but before the complete depletion of ring material from their surroundings.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1148631