International Planetary Patrol observations of Saturn's rings. II. Four color phase curves and their analysis.
Abstract
New phase curves for Saturn's rings at an intermediate tilt angle B of about 17 deg are presented. Quantitative results for each of the A and B rings are reported in terms of the opposition effect, phase coefficient, and best logarithmic fit to the phase curve. There was no significant difference between the shape of the phase curves for the two rings in each of the four colors, and a four-parameter multiple scattering model of the rings was consistent with the observations. In this model, the difference in the phase curves for different colors can be explained by a variation in the single scattering albedo with wavelength. The observations allow the particles to have the same composition in the A and B rings, so that their different photometric behavior is explained by differences in optical depth and volume density in the two rings.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- September 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1086/112559
- Bibcode:
- 1979AJ.....84.1408E
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Photometry;
- Saturn Rings;
- Albedo;
- Attitude (Inclination);
- Brightness;
- Graphs (Charts);
- Quantitative Analysis;
- Scattering;
- Ultraviolet Photometry;
- SATURN;
- RINGS;
- OBSERVATIONS;
- PHASE CURVES;
- COLORS;
- MODELS;
- SCATTERING;
- BRIGHTNESS;
- COMPOSITION;
- PHOTOMETRY;
- DEPTH;
- OPTICAL PROPERTIES;
- VOLUME;
- DENSITY;
- LAYERING;
- PARTICLES;
- ANALYSIS;
- DATA REDUCTION;
- OPPOSITION;
- INFRARED;
- ALBEDO;
- SHADOWS;
- ULTRAVIOLET;
- SPECTRUM;
- Lunar and Planetary Exploration; Saturn;
- Saturn Rings:Models;
- Saturn Rings:Opposition Effect;
- Saturn Rings:Scattering