Scientists Find That Saturn's Rotation Period Is A Puzzle

The currently accepted rotation period of Saturn came from radio measurements obtained during the Voyagers 1 and 2 flybys of Saturn in 1980-81, and is 10 hour 39 minutes and 24 seconds plus or minus 7 seconds. The first hint of something strange at Saturn came in 1997 when Alain Lecacheux, Patrick Galopeau, and Monique Aubier, from Observatoire de Paris, published a paper in the Austrian Academy of Science Press reporting that Saturn's radio rotation period was about one percent longer than the value obtained from Voyager. Now, during the Cassini approach to Saturn, where the radio signals from the planet are very strong and well defined, Gurnett and his colleagues have used the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument on Cassini to determine a new current value for the radio rotation period...10 hours 45 minutes and 45 seconds plus or minus 36 seconds.... Writing in the May 1985 issue of "Geophysical Research Letters," Alex J. Dessler, a senior research scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, argued that the magnetic fields of gaseous giant planets, such as Saturn and Jupiter, are more like that of the sun than of the Earth. The sun's magnetic field does not rotate as a solid body. Instead, its rotation period varies with latitude. Commenting on the work of Gurnett and his team, Dessler said, "This finding is very significant because it demonstrates that the idea of a rigidly rotating magnetic field is wrong. Saturn's magnetic field has more in common with the sun than the Earth. The measurement can be interpreted as showing that the part of Saturn's magnetic field that controls the radio emissions has moved to a higher latitude during the last two decades."

Titan: The New World
CBS Worldwide Inc
Jan. 19, 2005
"The rings are no older than about a few hundred million years. They're young. They are basically geologically young," says Porco. "It means that rings, Saturn's rings, were not in there in the early days when dinosaurs roamed the Earth... [made of] Billions and billions of particles. Countless numbers of particles. Varying ice particles. Varying size from the sizes of houses, large houses or small apartment buildings, down to the sizes of stones and pebbles," says Porco. "And although they're screaming around Saturn at speeds of 40,000 miles an hour, they are very gently jostling each other. They are the delicate wreckage of a moon, or maybe a comet that was ripped apart and captured by Saturn's gravity. Being in charge gives her the privilege of naming the pictures. "Ring World Waiting" was taken more than 17 million miles away. "Side Swiping Saturn" is a view of the seemingly paper-thin ring level view. And "Nature's Canvas" captures Saturn's tiny moon, Mimas. Cassini has discovered three new moons. Now Saturn has 34.

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This finding is very significant because it demonstrates that the idea of a rigidly rotating magnetic field is wrong. Saturn's magnetic field has more in common with the sun than the Earth.

Yes. well. That is certainly going to alter my daily planning process.

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