Ring- Moon Interactions

16 November 2015

ShepherdSatellites of F ring

Encke Gap and kinky ringlet

Pan in the Encke Gap

Pan closeup

Propeller, but moon causing it still unseen

Enceladus eruptions create E ring

Adrastea and Jupiter ring clumps

Uranus ε Ring and Cordelia

Uranus ε Ring

Galatea and Adams Ring

Ring Moon Interaction

• The gravity from moons can change the orbits of ring particles by transferring momentum

• At resonances, moons excite waves and can also truncate the ring creating an edge or gap

• Moons not big enough to open a gap create propeller structures

• Meteorite bombardment of small moons creates dusty rings