Abstract
DERMOTT and Gold1 have attempted to explain the locations of Uranus's rings in terms of resonances between ring particles and pairs of satellites, such that each particle librates about consecutive conjunctions of the satellites. The libration argument is given by
K=λ1−(p+1)λ2+pλ3
where λi = nit+ constant, i = 1, 2, 3, are the mean longitudes of the ring particle and the satellites, and p is an integer. Despite the apparent success of the theory in predicting the main observed features of the rings, it is necessary to investigate the strength of the resonances in more detail before any conclusions can be drawn. This letter summarises the outcome of such an investigation which supplements the previous largely qualitative analysis1.
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References
Dermott, S. F. & Gold, T. Nature 267, 590–593 (1977).
Wilkens, A., & Sitzungsber, D. Math–Natn. Abt. Bayer, D., Akad. Wiss, D., Zu Munchen, 1, 71–101 (1933).
Marsden, B. G. IAU Circ. No. 3061 (1977).
Elliot, J. L., Dunham, E. & Mink, D. Nature 267, 328–330 (1977).
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AKSNES, K. Quantitative analysis of the Dermott–Gold theory for Uranus's rings. Nature 269, 783 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/269783a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/269783a0
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