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M. C. Lewis (Trinity University), G. R. Stewart (Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics)
We present the results of several numerical simulations of the outer edge of the Encke gap that include collisions and particle self-gravity. There are a number of significant interactions between the moon-induced wakes and the gravity wakes. In this talk we focus primarily on features that form at the edge of the ring, how those features might evolve over multiple synodic periods, and how these various features might appear in Cassini observations. The primary features seen in the edge region include a thickening of material that appears to fuel an increase in the strength of the gravity wakes. In our simulation, the gravity wakes are seen to grow as long as 3-km in length, more than 10 times longer than normal. These structures form as the particles move out into the gap after the moon wakes produce a high-density region. They are destroyed and reform as the ring particles move along the wavy edge of the gap.
If you would like more information about this abstract, please follow the link to http://www.cs.trinity.edu/~mlewis/DPS2004. This link was provided by the author. When you follow it, you will leave the Web site for this meeting; to return, you should use the Back comand on your browser.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: mlewis@trinity.edu
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #4
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.