Saturn's E ring: I. CCD observations of March 1980 |
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Authors: | WA Baum T Kreidl JA Westphal GE Danielson PK Seidelmann D Pascu DG Currie |
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Institution: | 1. Lowell Observatory, Post Office Box 1269, Flagstaff, Arizona 86002, USA;2. Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA;3. Nautical Almanac Office, U.S. Naval Observatory, Washington, D.C. 20390, USA |
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Abstract: | The tenuous E ring of Saturn is found to commence abruptly at 3 Saturn radii, to peak sharply in the vicinity of the orbit of the satellite Enceladus (about 4 radii), and to spread out thinly to more than 8 radii. This distribution strongly suggests it to be associated with Enceladus and perhaps to be material ejected from Enceladus. The spread of E-ring material above and below the ring plane is greater in its tenuous outskirts than in its denser inner region, suggesting that the E ring may be at an early stage in its evolution. Thus far, our analysis reveals only a marginal variation of the ring with time or Enceladus azimuth. In this paper we describe the special instrumentation used for photometric observations of the E ring, and we present some of the data obtained in March 1980. In Paper II we shall derive the three-dimensional distribution of material in the E ring and discuss its cosmogonic implications. |
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