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1.
Recent 3-mm observations of Saturn at low ring inclinations are combined with previous observations of E. E. Epstein, M. A. Janssen, J. N. Cuzzi, W. G. Fogarty, and J. Mottmann (Icarus41, 103–118) to determine a much more precise brightness temperature for Saturn's rings. Allowing for uncertainties in the optical depth and uniformity of the A and B rings and for ambiguities due to the C ring, but assuming the ring brightness to remain approximately constant with inclination, a mean brightness temperature for the A and B rings of 17 ± 4°K was determined. The portion of this brightness attributed to ring particle thermal emission is 11 ± 5°K. The disk temperature of Saturn without the rings would be 156 ± 6°K, relative to B. L. Ulich, J. H. Davis, P. J. Rhodes, and J. M. Hollis' (1980, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag.AP-28, 367–376) absolutely calibrated disk temperature for Jupiter. Assuming that the ring particles are pure water ice, a simple slab emission model leads to an estimate of typical particle sizes of ≈0.3 m. A multiple-scattering model gives a ring particle effective isotropic single-scattering albedo of 0.85 ± 0.05. This albedo has been compared with theoretical Mie calculations of average albedo for various combinations of particle size distribution and refractive indices. If the maximum particle radius (≈5 m) deduced from Voyager bistatic radar observations (E. A. Marouf, G. L. Tyler, H. A. Zebker, V. R. Eshleman, 1983, Icarus54, 189–211) is correct, our results indicate either (a) a particle distribution between 1 cm and several meters radius of the form r?s with 3.3 ? s ? 3.6, or (b) a material absorption coefficient between 3 and 10 times lower than that of pure water ice Ih at 85°K, or both. Merely decreasing the density of the ice Ih particles by increasing their porosity will not produce the observed particle albedo. The low ring brightness temperature allows an upper limit on the ring particle silicate content of ≈10% by mass if the rocky material is uniformly distributed; however, there could be considerably more silicate material if it is segregated from the icy material. 相似文献
2.
《Icarus》1987,70(3):506-516
We present 2.7-mm interferometric observations of Saturn made near opposition in June 1984 and June 1985, when the ring opening angle was 19° and 23°, respectively. By combining the data sets we produce brightness maps of Saturn and its rings with a resolution of 6″. The maps show flux from the ring ansae, and are the first direct evidence of ring flux in the 3-mm wavelength region. Modelfits to the visibility data yield a disk brightness temperature of 156 ± 5°K, a combined A, B, and C ring brightness temperature of 19 ± 3°K, and a combined a ring cusp (region of the rings which block the planet's disk) brightness temperature of 85 ± 5°K. These results imply a normal-to-the-ring optical depth for the combined ABC ringof 0.31 ± 0.04, which is nearly the same value found for wavelenghts from the UV to 6 cm. About 6°K of the ring flux is attributed to scattered planetary emission, leaving an intrinsic thermal component of ∼13°K. These results, together with the ring particle size distributions found by the Voyager radio occultation experiments, are consistent with the idea that the ring particles are composed chiefly of water ice. 相似文献
3.
Interferometric observations of Saturn and its rings made at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory at a wavelength of 3.71 cm ar fit to models of the Saturn brightness structure. The models have allowed us to estimate the brightness temperatures and optical thicknesses of the A, B, and C rings as well as the brightness temperature of the planetary disk. The most accurate results are the ratios of the ring temperatures to the planet temperature of 0.030 ± 0.012, 0.050 ± 0.010, and 0.040 ± 0.014 for the A, B, and C rings, respectively. The best estimates of the ring optical thicknesses are τA = 0.2 ± 0.1, τB = 0.9 ± 0.2, and τC = 0.1 ± 0.1. The actual brightness temperatures, which are affected by the absolute calibration errors, are Tplanet = 178 ± 8, TA = 5.2 ± 2.0, TB = 9.1 ± 1.8, and TC = 7.1 ± 2.6°K. The particle single-scattering albedo that would be most consistent with the observations is slightly less than one, but probably greater than 0.95. The observations are consistent with particles which conservatively scatter the thermal emission from Saturn to the Earth and emit no thermal emission of their own. The 3.71-cm optical depths which we have estimated are very close to the visible wavelength optical depths. This similarity indicates that the ring particles must be at least a few centimeters in size, although we feel that the particles may well be much larger than this in view of the closeness of the visible and microwave optical depths. Particles which are nearly conservative scatterers at our wavelength and at least a few centimeters in size must be composed of a material which is either a very good reflector of microwaves or a very poor absorber of them. At this time, water ice seems to be the most likely candidate since it is a very poor absorber of microwaves and has been detected in the rings spectroscopically. 相似文献
4.
Observations of the planet Saturn at wavelengths of 49.5 and 94.3 em are reported. The equivalent disk brightness temperatures were found to be 400 ± 65°K and 540 ± 110°K, respectively. It is suggested that the enhanced portion of the spectrum of the disk brightness temperature favours the idea that the observed long wavelength radiation comes from the planet's atmosphere.However, the possibility of a magnetic field associated with Saturn is not rejected by the observations. Part of the excess temperature could be attributed to weak synchrotron emission coming from a region outside the ring system. 相似文献
5.
David Morrison 《Icarus》1974,22(1):57-65
Broad-band radiometry with a spatial resolution of 5 arc sec is presented of Saturn and its rings. The brightness temperature of the B ring is 96 ± 3°K at 20 μm and 91 ± 3°K at 11 μm. These values constrain the bolometric Bond albedo of the ring particles to be less than 0.6, thus requiring a phase integral of less than unity. From differences in the thermal emission of the ansae, I suggest that the leading side of the particles has higher albedo than the trailing side. A measured drop in temperature of the B ring following eclipse of 2.0 ± 0.5°K is consistent with radii for the ring particles of 2 cm or larger. 相似文献
6.
R.R. Daniel S.K. Ghosh K.V.K. Iyengar T.N. Rengarajan S.N. Tandon R.P. Verma 《Icarus》1982,49(2):205-212
We present far-infrared observations of Saturn in the wavelength band 76–116 μm, using a balloon-borne 75-cm telescope launched on 10 December 1980 from Hyderabad, India, when B′, the Saturnicentric latitude of the Sun, was 4°.3. Normalizing with respect to Jupiter, we find the average brightness temperature of the disk-ring system to be 90 ± 3° K. Correcting for the contribution from rings using experimental information on the brightness temperature of rings at 20 μm, we find TD, the brightness temperature of the disk, to be 96.9 ± 3.5° K. The systematic errors and the correction for the ring contribution are small for our observations. We, therefore, make use of our estimate of TD and earlier observations of Saturn when contribution from the rings was large and find that for wavelengths greater than 50 μm, there is a small reduction in the ring brightness temperature as compared to that at 20 μm. 相似文献
7.
Dennis B. Ward 《Icarus》1977,32(4):437-442
The spectrum of Saturn and its rings between 45 and 115 μm has been measured at an average resolving power of 14 from the NASA Lear Jet. The combined brightness temperature of the rings and planetary disk decreases beyond 65 μm, in disagreement with previous results. A brightness temperature of 65 ± 10°K is obtained for the planetary disk in the 80–110-μm wavelength range if a large-particle, constant-emissivity model is assumed for the rings. The possible effects of small particles in the rings are briefly considered. 相似文献
8.
The spectrum of Saturn was measured from 80 to 350 cm?1 (29 to 125 μm) with ≈6-cm?1 resolution using a Michelson interferometer aboard NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory. These observations are of the full disk, with little contribution from the rings. For frequencies below 300 cm?1, Saturn's brightness temperature rises slowly, reaching ≈111°K at 100 cm?1. The effective temperature is 96.8 ± 2.5°K, implying that Saturn emits 3.0 ± 0.5 times as much energy as it receives from the Sun. The rotation-inversion manifolds of NH3 that are prominent in the far-infrared spectrum of Jupiter are not observed on Saturn. Our models predict the strengths to be only ≈2 to 5°K in brightness temperature because most of the NH3 is frozen out; this is comparable to the noise in our data. By combining our data with those of an earlier investigation when the Saturnicentric latitude of the Sun was B′ = 21.2°, we obtain the spectrum of the rings. The high-frequency end of the ring spectrum (ν > 230 cm?1) has nearly constant brightness temperature of 85°K. At lower frequencies, the brightness temperature decreases roughly as predicted by a simple absorption model with an optical depth proportional to ν1.5. This behavior could be due to mu-structure on the surface of the ring particles with a scale size of 10 to 100 μm and/or to impurities in their composition. 相似文献
9.
Glenn S. Orton 《Icarus》1983,53(2):293-300
It is possible for large particles of NH3 ice to explain two phenomena associated with observations of thermal infrared emission from the atmosphere of Saturn: (1) the depression of thermal brightness near the equator, which is coincident with a visibly bright zone-like region, and (2) some disagreements between infrared and radio occultation results. Particles of NH3 ice can provide the requisite opacity to explain the contrast between the equatorial region and the brighter area near 15°S for Pioneer Saturn Infrared Radiometer 45-μm channel data. NH3 ice particle clouds can also reconcile the 45-μm brightness of both regions (near the equator and near 15°S) with the mean temperatures structure of the Voyager 2 radio occultation results. A cloud model with ice particles distributed in equal ratio with gas particles up to the 100-mbar pressure level best fits the equatorial data; a thinner cloud or one which does not extend higher than the 400-mbar limit of the convective region best matches data for the 15°S region. At 20 μm, however, the radio occultation temperature structure predicts brightnesses which are lower than those observed for both regions, and it could indicate the possibility that another source of opacity which is latitudinally variable exists in the stratosphere. 相似文献
10.
We present interferometric observations of Saturn and its ring system made at the Hat Creek Radio Astronomy Observatory at a wavelength of 1.30 cm. The data have been analyzed by both model-fitting and aperture synthesis techniques to determine the brightness temperature and optical thickness of the ring system and estimate the amount of planetary limb darkening. We find that the ring optical depth is close to that observed at visible wavelenghts, while the ring brightness temperature is only 7 ± 1°K. These observational constraints require the ring particles to be nearly conservative scatterers at this wavelength. A conservative lower limit to the single-scattering albedo of the particles at 1.30-cm wavelength is 0.95, and if their composition is assumed to be water ice, then this lower limit implies an upper limit of 2.4 m for the radius of a typical ring particle. The aperture synthesis maps show evidence for a small offset in the position of Saturn from that given in the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac. The direction and magnitude of this offset are consistent with that found from a similar analysis of 3.71-cm interferometric data which we have previously presented (F.P. Schloerb, D.O. Muhleman, and G.L. Berge, 1979b, Icarus39, 232–250). Limb darkening of the planetary disk has been estimated by solving for the best-fitting disk radius in the models. The best-fitting radius is 0.998 ± 0.004 times the nominal Saturn radius and indicates that the planet is not appreciably limb dark at 1.30 cm. Since our previous 3.71-cm data also indicated that the planet was not strongly limb dark (F.P. Schloerb, D. O. Muhleman, and G.L. Berge, 1979a, Icarus39, 214–230), we feel that the limb darkening is not strongly wavelength dependent between 1.30 and 3.71 cm. The difference between the best-fitting disk radii at 3.71 and 1.30 cm is +0.007 ± 0.007 times the nominal Saturn radius and suggests that the planet is more limb dark at 1.30 cm than at 3.71 cm. Models of the atmosphere which have NH3 as the principal source of microwave opacity predict that the planet will be less limb dark at 1.30 cm. However, the magnitude of the effect predicted by the NH3 models is ?0.009 and only marginally different from the observed value. 相似文献
11.
It is shown that a lower limit exists on the microwave brightness of the rings of Saturn, if they are assumed to be composed of Mie scatterers of geological composition. The lower limit (about 15°K) is due to scattering of planetary microwave emission. Significant variation of brightness with azimuth along the rings is expected if the particles are typically of 2–3cm radius. Implications for the multiple-scattering hypothesis of the radar cross section of the rings are noted. 相似文献
12.
The sizes, composition, and number of particles comprising the rings of Saturn may be meaningfully constrained by a combination of radar- and radio-astronomical observations. In a previous paper, we have discussed constraints obtained from radar observations. In this paper, we discuss the constraints imposed by complementary “passive” radio observations at similar wavelengths. First, we present theoretical models of the brightness of Saturn's rings at microwave wavelengths (0.34–21.0 cm), including both intrinsic ring emission and diffuse scattering by the rings of the planetary emission. The models are accurate simulations of the behavior of realistic ring particles and are parameterized only by particle composition and size distribution, and ring optical depth. Second, we have reanalyzed several previously existing sets of interferometric observations of the Saturn system at 0.83-, 3.71-, 6.0-, 11.1-, and 21.0-cm wavelengths. These observations all have spatial resolution sufficient to resolve the rings and planetary disk, and most have resolution sufficient to resolve the ring-occulted region of the disk as well. Using our ring models and a realistic model of the planetary brightness distribution, we are able to establish improved constraints on the properties of the rings. In particular, we find that: (a) the maximum optical depth in the rings is ～ 1.5 ± 0.3 referred to visible wavelengths; (b) a significant decrease in ring optical depth from λ3.7 to λ21.0 cm allows us to rule out the possibility that more than ～30% of the cross section of the rings is composed of particles larger than a meter or so; this assertion is essentially independent of uncertainties in particle adsorption coefficient; and (c) the ring particles cannot be primarily of silicate composition, independently of particle size, and the particles cannot be primarily smaller than ～0.1 cm, independently of composition. 相似文献
13.
14.
Saturn’s diffuse E ring consists of many tiny (micron and sub-micron) grains of water ice distributed between the orbits of Mimas and Titan. Various gravitational and non-gravitational forces perturb these particles’ orbits, causing the ring’s local particle density to vary noticeably with distance from the planet, height above the ring-plane, hour angle and time. Using remote-sensing data obtained by the Cassini spacecraft in 2005 and 2006, we investigate the E-ring’s three-dimensional structure during a time when the Sun illuminated the rings from the south at high elevation angles (>15°). These observations show that the ring’s vertical thickness grows with distance from Enceladus’ orbit and its peak brightness density shifts from south to north of Saturn’s equator plane with increasing distance from the planet. These data also reveal a localized depletion in particle density near Saturn’s equatorial plane around Enceladus’ semi-major axis. Finally, variations are detected in the radial brightness profile and the vertical thickness of the ring as a function of longitude relative to the Sun. Possible physical mechanisms and processes that may be responsible for some of these structures include solar radiation pressure, variations in the ambient plasma, and electromagnetic perturbations associated with Saturn’s shadow. 相似文献
15.
Reflection spectra of water ice from 1 to 4 μm are presented as a function of temperature. It is found that a feature at 6056 cm?1 changes its intensity sufficiently that it can be used as a spectroscopic measure of the ice temperature. A temperature calibration curve of this feature down to 55 K is developed and is used to determine ice temperatures for the Galilean satellites Europa (95±10 K), Ganymede (103±10 K), and the rings of Saturn (80±5 K). The ice temperatures for the Galilean satellites are lower than their measured brightness temperatures, which can be explained by a higher albedo of the ice covered regions relative to the rest of the satellite and possibly a concentration of the ice near the polar caps. 相似文献
16.
We present far-infrared observations of Saturn and Venus made within four spectral bands (31 to 38, 47 to 67, 71 to 94, and 114 to 196 μm) using a 32-cm airborne telescope during May 1977. The set of brightness temperatures obtained from Saturn is analyzed on the basis of thermal models of the atmosphere of this planet. The best agreement is obtained with an effective temperature of about 95°K for the planet itself and a ring contribution corresponding to brightness temperatures ranging from 55 to 70°K. These values of the temperature of the ring system are smaller than the ones measured at shorter wavelengths and could be indicative of a decreasing emissivity of the rings in the far infrared. 相似文献
17.
We observed Saturn at far-infrared and submillimeter wavelengths during the Earth's March 1980 passage through the plane of Saturn's rings. Comparison with earlier spectroscopic observations by D. B. Ward [Icarus32, 437–442 (1977)], obtained at a time when the tilt angle of the rings was 21.8°, permits separation of the disk and ring contributions to the flux observed in this wavelength range. We present two main results: (1) The observed emission of the disk between 60 and 180 μm corresponds to a brightness temperature of 104 ± 2°K; (2) the brightness temperature of the rings drops approximately 20°K between 60 and 80 μm. Our data, in conjunction with the data obtained by other observers between 1 μm and 1 mm, permit us to derive an improved estimate for the total Saturnian surface brightness of (4.84 ± 0.32) × 10?4W cm?2 corresponding to an effective temperature of 96.1 ± 1.6°K. The ratio of radiated to incident power, PR/PI, is (1.46 ± 0.08)/(1 - A), where A is the Bond albedo. For A = 0.337 ± 0.029, PR/PI = 2.20 ± 0.15 and Saturn's intrinsic luminosity is LS = (2.9 ± 0.5) × 10?10L⊙. 相似文献
18.
I.G. Nolt W.M. Sinton L.J. Caroff E.F. Erickson D.W. Strecker J.V. Radostitz 《Icarus》1977,30(4):747-759
We have resolved the relative rings-to-disk brightness (specific intensity) of Saturn at 39 μm (δλ ? 8 μm) using the 224-cm telecscope at Mauna Kea Oservatory, and have also measured the total flux of Saturn relative to Jupiter in the same bandpass from the NASA Learjet Observatory. These two measurements, which were made in early 1975 with Saturn's rings near maximum inclination (b′ ? 25°), determine the disk and average ring (A and B) brightness in terms of an absolute flux calibration of Jupiter in the same bandpass. While present uncertainties in Jupiter's absolute calibration make it possible to compare existing measurementsunambiguously, it is nevertheless possible to conclude the following: (1) observations between 20 and 40 μm are all compatible (within 2σ) of a disk brightness temperature of 94°K, and do not agree with the radiative equilibrium models of Trafton; (2) the rings at large tilt contribute a flux component comparable to that of the planet itself for λ ? 40 μm and (3) there is a decrease of ～22% in the relative ring: disk brightness between effective wavelengths of 33.5 and 39 μm. 相似文献
19.
Very low values of the radio brightness temperature of the rings of Saturn indicate that their high refar reflectivity is not simply due to a gain effect in the backscattering direction. These two sets of observations are consistent with the ring particles having a very high single scattering albedo at radio wavelenghts, with multiple scattering effects being important. Comparison of scattering calculations for ice and silicate particles with the radio and radar observations imply a mean particle radius of ～1 cm. The ice bands observed in the rings' near-infrared reflectivity spectra are formed by scattering within a microstructure on the surface of the ring particles, with the scattering centers being 25–125 μm in size. The Poynting-Robertson effect has caused a significant spiraling-in of the ring particles, probably resulting in a broadening of the rings. The inferred mean size is consistent with a model in which meteoroid impacts have caused a substantial reduction in the mean particle size from its initial value. 相似文献
20.
Four-color photographic photometry of Saturn for the 1977–1979 apparitions has been analyzed to determine the dependence of ring brightness on wavelength, solar phase angle, ring particle orbital phase angle (azimuthal effect), declination of the Earth relative to the ring plane (tilt angle), and radial distance from Saturn. Azimuthal brightness variations up to ±20% relative to the ansae are clearly apparent for the maximum of ring A, but are not detectable for ring B or the outer portion of ring A. The shape of the intensity (I) versus orbital phase angle (θ) curve varies with ring tilt (B) and probably with wavelength, and shows 180° symmetry. As characterized by its slope near the ansae, this curve suggests that the azimuthal effect increases as B decreases from 26 to ≈11°. The phase curves l(α) for the ansae show very little dependence on ring tilt (26° > B > 6°), on wavelength, or on radial distance from Saturn; possibly the curves are somewhat steeper at the smallest tilt angles and for ring A relative to ring B. The radial profile of both rings becomes flatter with decreasing tilt angle and with decreasing wavelength. The latter effect is a natural result of the classical, many-particle-thick ring model. 相似文献