| Description |
We propose to extend observations of Saturn.s newly discovered Phoebe ring (Verbiscer et al. 2009) to new wavelengths and greater radial range to better characterize the dust properties and constrain the dynamics and particle size distribution of the ring. We will seek similar rings around both Uranus and Neptune. This work is important to understanding the transfer of material from the irregular satellites to the inner regular satellites, the outermost of which can have their surfaces completely transformed by this process. Furthermore, this dust represents an important analogue to the dust observed in debris disks around other stars.
The discovery of the Phoebe ring, as well as work by Turrini et al. (2009), Bottke et al. (2010), and Buratti et al. (1991), among others, suggests that the other giant planets should also possess rings supplied by their irregular satellites. We therefore propose searches for such rings at both Uranus and Neptune. Our proposal is aimed to return important science results for a modest time investment (12.8 hours) |
| Publication |
Nereid from space: rotation, size and shape analysis from K2, Herschel and Spitzer observations . Kiss C. et al. . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 457, Issue 3, p.2908-2917 . 457 . 10.1093\/mnras\/stw081 . 2016MNRAS.457.2908K ,
Far-infrared photometric observations of the outer planets and satellites with Herschel-PACS . Müller T. G. et al. . Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 588, id.A109, 21 pp. . 588 . 10.1051\/0004-6361\/201527371 . 2016A&A...588A.109M ,
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