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Science 6 November 1998:
Vol. 282. no. 5391, pp. 1099 - 1102
DOI: 10.1126/science.282.5391.1099
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Reports

Detection of Centimeter-Sized Meteoroid Impact Events in Saturn's F Ring

Mark R. Showalter

Voyager images reveal that three prominent clumps in Saturn's F ring were short-lived, appearing rapidly and then spreading and decaying in brightness over periods of ~2 weeks. These features arise from hypervelocity impacts by ~10-centimeter meteoroids into F ring bodies. Future ring observations of these impact events could constrain the centimeter-sized component of the meteoroid population, which is otherwise unmeasurable but plays an important role in the evolution of rings and surfaces in the outer solar system. The F ring's numerous other clumps are much longer lived and appear to be unrelated to impacts.

Space, Telecommunications and Radioscience Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Mailing address: 245-3 NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000, USA. E-mail: showalter{at}ringside.arc.nasa.gov

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Clump Detections and Limits on Moons in Jupiter's Ring System.
M. R. Showalter, A. F. Cheng, H. A. Weaver, S. A. Stern, J. R. Spencer, H. B. Throop, E. M. Birath, D. Rose, and J. M. Moore (2007)
Science 318, 232-234
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Second Ring-Moon System of Uranus: Discovery and Dynamics.
M. R. Showalter and J. J. Lissauer (2006)
Science 311, 973-977
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Cassini Discovers a Kinematic Spiral Ring Around Saturn.
S. Charnoz, C. C. Porco, E. Deau, A. Brahic, J. N. Spitale, G. Bacques, and K. Baillie (2005)
Science 310, 1300-1304
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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