Non-circular features in Saturn's D ring: D68

Abstract

D68 is a narrow ringlet located only 67,627. km (1.12 planetary radii) from Saturn's spin axis. Images of this ringlet obtained by the Cassini spacecraft reveal that this ringlet exhibits persistent longitudinal brightness variations and a substantial eccentricity (ae = 25 ± 1 km). By comparing observations made at different times, we confirm that the brightness variations revolve around the planet at approximately the local orbital rate (1751.6°/day), and that the ringlet's pericenter precesses at 38.243 ± 0.008°/day, consistent with the expected apsidal precession rate at this location due to Saturn's higher-order gravitational harmonics. Surprisingly, we also find that the ringlet's semi-major axis appears to be decreasing with time at a rate of 2.4 ± 0.4. km/year between 2005 and 2013. A closer look at these measurements, along with a consideration of earlier Voyager observations of this same ringlet, suggests that the mean radius of D68 moves back and forth, perhaps with a period of around 15 Earth years or about half a Saturn year. These observations could place important constraints on both the ringlet's local dynamical environment and the planet's gravitational field. © 2014 Elsevier Inc.