How fast do Galilean satellites spin? |
| |
| Authors: | Richard Greenberg Stuart J Weidenschilling |
| |
| Institution: | Planetary Science Institute, 2030 East Speedway, Suite 201, Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | Each of the Galilean satellites, as well as most other satellites whose initial rotations have been substantially altered by tidal dissipation, has been widely assumed to rotate synchronously with its orbital mean motion. Such rotation would require a small permanent asymmetry in the mass distribution in order to overcome the small mean tidal torque. Since Io and Europa may be substantially fluid, they may not have the strenght to support the required permanent asymmetry. Thus, each may rotate at the unknown but slightly nonsynchronous rate that corresponds to zero mean tidal torque. This behaviour may be observable by Galileo spacecraft imaging. It may help explain the longitudinal variation of volcanism on Io and the cracking of Europa's crust. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
