Ice sputtering by radiation belt protons and the rings of Saturn and Uranus

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA083iA06p02597· OSTI ID:6673759

Cheng, A F; Lanzerotte, L J

The outer portion of the rings of Saturn is probably immersed in intense particle radiation belts. We scale Pioneer 10 and 11 measurements to the Saturnian radiation belts and estimate that sputtering by high-energy protons from the ice particles in the outer portion of the rings leads to a net erosion rate there of 10/sup -6/ cm yr/sup -1/ after allowance for the rapid recapture, and thus the redistribution, of water molecules on the ring particles. The lifetime of ice particles in the outer portions of the rings against sputtering may then be less than the age of the solar system. We show that such water ice sputtering can maintain the neutral H atmosphere around the rings detected by Weiser et al. (1977). We also suggest that the very low albedo recently reported for the rings of Uranus could result from the sputtering away of primordial ices on the ring grains by Uranian radiation belt particles.

• Research Organization: Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey 07974
• OSTI ID: 6673759
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 83:A6; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
BARYONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
HADRONS
ICE
NUCLEONS
PIONEER SPACE PROBES
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
PROTONS
RADIATION BELTS
SATURN PLANET
SPACE VEHICLES
URANUS PLANET