A photo from open sources
Scientists previously believed that the rings of Saturn formed in one time with the solar system, that is 4.5 billion years ago. Now But scientists consider this assumption erroneous. Turns out they not so ancient.
To calculate the age of our planet, scientists resort to radiocarbon analysis however Saturn’s rings consisting in mainly from ice and stone, it is impossible to explore in this way. It turns out that you can calculate the real age of the rings by relying only indirect data.
What observations of the rings of Saturn showed
Kassini-mounted dust analyzer showed rings Saturn is continuously replenished with a new mixture of stone dust and other organic compounds. Moreover, most of the arrivals material comes from the Kuiper belt, which is further the orbits of Neptune. A research probe found that arrivals micrometeorite bodies make up only 1% of the total volume rings.
Kassini 22 times went through the rings of Saturn and in front of his death was able to calculate the mass of cosmic dust, which subsequently allowed scientists to determine the mass of rings. However, the probe measured gravity at each point of its own orbit. Given that the mass object affects the force of gravity, then the researchers were able calculate the weight of the entire ring system.
Having information about the amount of cosmic dust and its speed Arrivals to the rings of Saturn, scientists have found that for its accumulation in the current amount, it will take from 10 to 100 million years.
Some researchers disagree with these findings, since there are other processes that also need to be considered in calculations, for example, pollution intensity over the last thousand years could change, and the dust entering the rings could then settle on the planet.
What are the rings of Saturn
Saturn’s rings are a cluster of countless ice floes diameter from a few millimeters to several meters. It is assumed that they formed after the collision of the planet with icy heavenly body like the moon. American specialists National Space Agency determined that over the next 300 million years, these particles will be attracted by gravity gas giant, that is, it is a very long and at that but the time is not so endless “icy rain.”
Andrey Vetrov
Gravity Time Saturn
