Gravitational scattering in planetary rings

The gravitational influence of a large body (moonlet; satellite) on the radial structure of planetary rings has been calculated numerically. A drastical change of the surface mass density is obtained even after a single scattering process of the ring-particles on a moonlet (satellite). The final surface density shows a significant radial structure, which has been used to estimate radius and mass of satellites embedded in rings of low optical depth (E-ring, Cassini-division, C-ring of Saturn).