Discovery of 12 satellites of Saturn exhibiting orbital clustering

Brett Gladman (), J. J. Kavelaars, Matthew Holman, Philip D. Nicholson, Joseph A. Burns, Carl W. Hergenrother, Jean-Marc Petit, Brian G. Marsden, Robert Jacobson, William Gray and Tommy Grav
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Brett Gladman: Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur
J. J. Kavelaars: McMaster University
Matthew Holman: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Philip D. Nicholson: Cornell University
Joseph A. Burns: Cornell University
Carl W. Hergenrother: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona
Jean-Marc Petit: Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur
Brian G. Marsden: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Robert Jacobson: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MS 301-150
William Gray: Project Pluto
Tommy Grav: Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo

Nature, 2001, vol. 412, issue 6843, 163-166

Abstract: Abstract The giant planets in the Solar System each have two groups of satellites. The regular satellites move along nearly circular orbits in the planet's orbital plane, revolving about it in the same sense as the planet spins. In contrast, the so-called irregular satellites are generally smaller in size and are characterized by large orbits with significant eccentricity, inclination or both. The differences in their characteristics suggest that the regular and irregular satellites formed by different mechanisms: the regular satellites are believed to have formed in an accretion disk around the planet, like a miniature Solar System, whereas the irregulars are generally thought to be captured planetesimals1. Here we report the discovery of 12 irregular satellites of Saturn, along with the determinations of their orbits. These orbits, along with the orbits of irregular satellites of Jupiter and Uranus, fall into groups on the basis of their orbital inclinations. We interpret this result as indicating that most of the irregular moons are collisional remnants of larger satellites that were fragmented after capture, rather than being captured independently.

Date: 2001
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DOI: 10.1038/35084032

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