Physics of Planetary Rings
Subtitle: Celestial Mechanics of Continuous Media
By: by Alexei M. Fridman, Nikolai N. Gorkavyi
Contributors: Gorkavyi, Nikolai N.
Series: Astronomy and Astrophysics Library; Astronomy and Astrophysics Library
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published: 1999
Place of publication: Berlin, Heidelberg
Language: eng
Format: [electronic resource] :
Number of pages: 437
ISBN-13: 9783642084379; 9783662039182
Subjects: Astrophysics; Physics
Description: Physics of Planetary Rings describes striking structures in the planetary rings of Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter and Neptune. In Saturn, the rings are stratified into thousands of ringlets united in a complex hierarchical structure with spiral waves and gaps; in Uranus, they are compressed into narrow streams; and in Neptune, one observes a chain of clumps. This abundance of dynamical structures is the result of unique instabilities and the resonance action of satellites. The authors have made decisive contributions to research into collisional, collective and resonance phenomena in planetary rings. They correctly predicted the existence of unknown Uranian satellites prior to the Voyager 2 fly-by. The combination of a high quality description, interesting illustrations and a fascinating and natural presentation will make this book of great interest to a broad readership, including astronomers, physicists, mathematicians, students and amateur astronomers.
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Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Observational Data; title: Celestial Mechanics Minimum; title: Elementary Particle Dynamics: Rigid Body Collisions; Ring Cosmogony; Wave, Photometric, and Other Effects; title: Collective Dynamics of Disc. Particles: Formalism; Stability Analysis; title: Resonance Effects in Planetary Rings: Spiral Waves; Narrow Ringlets and and Satellites; title: Formation and Stability of the Uranian Rings; title: Origin, Dynamics, and Stability of the Neptunian Rings; title: Self-organisation of the Solar System; title: Space Studies of the Outer Planets; title: Conclusion; title: Appendices; title: References; title: Index.