The composition of Saturn's E ring

2007/05/26 by Jon K. Hillier, Simon Green, N. McBride +7 · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Chemistry · #Astro and Planetary Science #Planetary Science and Exploration #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Saturn #Physics #Enceladus #Cosmic dust #Astrobiology #Cosmochemistry #Carbon fibers #Astrophysics #Rings of Saturn #Nitrogen #Astrochemistry #Asteroid #Ring (chemistry) #Astronomy #Interplanetary dust cloud #Interstellar medium #Planet #Solar System #Composite number #Galaxy #Chemistry

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.11710.x

openalex publication_date 2007/05/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02

Abstract

We present the first in situ direct measurement of the composition of particles in Saturn's rings. The Cassini cosmic dust analyser (CDA) measured the mass spectra of nearly 300 impacting dust particles during the 2004 October E ring crossing. An initial interpretation of the data shows that the particles are predominantly water ice, with minor contributions from possible combinations of silicates, carbon dioxide, ammonia, molecular nitrogen, hydrocarbons and perhaps carbon monoxide. This places constraints on both the composition of Enceladus, the main source of the E ring, as well as the grain formation mechanisms.

Citations

• Cassini Observes the Active South Pole of Enceladus
• Cassini Dust Measurements at Enceladus and Implications for the Origin of the E Ring

Cited by

• The three-dimensional structure of Saturn’s E ring
• Ongoing hydrothermal activities within Enceladus
• A salt-water reservoir as the source of a compositionally stratified plume on Enceladus
• Enceladus [wikipedia]