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arXiv 0911.3161astro-ph.EP
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土星环中自重力尾流的分析参数化,应用于掩星和螺旋桨

An analytic parameterization of self-gravity wakes in Saturn's rings, with application to occultations and propellers

Matthew S. Tiscareno, Randall P. Perrine, Derek C. Richardson, Matthew M. Hedman, John W. Weiss, Carolyn C. Porco, Joseph A. Burns

摘要:

我们已经开发了一种半解析方法的参数化N体模拟的自重力唤醒土星环,描述其属性的装置只有6个数字:3个光学深度和3个加权因子。这些数字是使用密度估计程序获得的,该程序发现模拟环补丁内的各种局部密度值的频率。应用我们的参数化的一套N体模拟意味着当地的光学深度的分布是三峰,而不是双峰,因为以前的作者已经假设。环占主导地位的自重力尾流似乎主要是空的空间。这一结果对掩星数据分析的影响更多的是概念性的,而不是实际的。所需的唯一调整是模型参数$τ_{gap}$应被解释为表示间隙(或尾流间区域)内的面积加权平均光学深度。我们的研究结果的最重要的后果适用于为什么“螺旋桨”结构中观察到的中间A环被视为相对明亮的功能,即使模拟螺旋桨的最突出的特点是相对低密度的区域的问题。我们发现初步的定量支持假设,螺旋桨将是明亮的,如果他们涉及一个局部和临时中断的自重力尾流,洪水的区域与更多的“光度活性”的材料(即,尽管整体密度较低,但可以对环的局部光学深度做出贡献的材料),从而提高了与观测一致的视亮度。我们建议,这一机制进行测试,未来详细的数值模型。

英文摘要:

We have developed a semi-analytic method of parameterizing N-body simulations of self-gravity wakes in Saturn's rings, describing their properties by means of only 6 numbers: 3 optical depths and 3 weighting factors. These numbers are obtained using a density-estimation procedure that finds the frequencies of various values of local density within a simulated ring patch. Application of our parameterization to a suite of N-body simulations implies that the distribution of local optical depths is trimodal, rather than bimodal as previous authors have assumed. Rings dominated by self-gravity wakes appear to be mostly empty space. The implications of this result for the analysis of occultation data are more conceptual than practical. The only adjustment needed is that the model parameter $τ_{gap}$ should be interpreted as representing the area-weighted average optical depth within the gaps (or inter-wake regions). The most significant consequence of our results applies to the question of why "propeller" structures observed in the mid-A ring are seen as relative-bright features, even though the most prominent features of simulated propellers are regions of relatively low density. We find preliminary quantitative support for the hypothesis that propellers would be bright if they involve a local and temporary disruption of self-gravity wakes, flooding the region with more "photometrically active" material (i.e., material that can contribute to the rings' local optical depth) even though the overall density is lower, and thus raising their apparent brightnesses in agreement with observations. We suggest that this mechanism be tested by future detailed numerical models.

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