Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 16 July 1982:
Vol. 217. no. 4556, pp. 243 - 245
DOI: 10.1126/science.217.4556.243
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Microwave Edge Diffraction by Features in Saturn's Rings: Observations with Voyager 1

ESSAM A. MAROUF 1 and G. LEONARD TYLER 1

1 Center for Radar Astronomy, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

Classical edge diffraction patterns are formed at centimeter wavelengths by several features of Saturn's rings. These patterns were discovered in 3.6-and 13-centimeter radio signals from Voyager 1 during occultation by the rings. The observed shapes are in agreement with theoretical patterns computed for screens of perfectly abrupt edges having large but finite opacity. Comparison with models in which the opacity at the edge tapers to zero from a finite value sets a new bound of less than about 200 meters on the microwave edge thickness. Certain features of the data suggest a smaller upper bound of about 130 meters on the edge thickness.

Submitted on March 22, 1982
Revised on May 24, 1982


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Thickness of Saturn's Rings Inferred from Voyager 1 Observations of Microwave Scatter.
H. A. Zebker, H. A. ZEBKER, and G. L. TYLER (1984)
Science 223, 396-398
   Abstract »    PDF »
Eccentric Ringlet in the Maxwell Gap at 1.45 Saturn Radii: Multi-Instrument Voyager Observations.
L. W. ESPOSITO, N. BORDERIES, P. GOLDREICH, J. N. CUZZI, J. B. HOLBERG, A. L. LANE, R. B. POMPHREY, R. J. TERRILE, J. J. LISSAUER, E. A. MAROUF, et al. (1983)
Science 222, 57-60
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)