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The Fate of Ejecta from HyperionEjecta from Saturn's moon Hyperion is subject to powerful perturbations from nearby Titan, which control its ultimate fate. We have performed numerical integrations to simulate a simplified system consisting of Saturn (including oblateness), Tethys, Dione, Titan, Hyperion, Iapetus, and the Sun (treated simply as a massive satellite). In addition, 1050 massless particles were ejected from Hyperion at five different points in its orbit. These particles started more or less evenly distributed over latitude and longitude, 1 km above Hyperion's mean radius, and were ejected radially outward at speeds 10\% faster than its escape speed. Only about 4\% of the particles survived for the 100,000-year course of the integration, while $\sim$8/% escaped from the Saturnian system. Titan accreted $\sim$77\% of all the particles, while Hyperion reaccreted only $\sim$5\%. This may help to account for Hyperion's rugged shape. Three particles hit Rhea and 2 hit Dione, but $\sim$5\% of the particles were removed when they penetrated within 150,000 km of Saturn. Most removals occurred within the first few thousand years. In general, ejecta from Hyperion are much more widely scattered than previously thought, and cross the orbits of all of the other classical satellites.
Document ID
20020064445
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lissauer, Jack J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Dobrovolskis, Anthony R.
(California Univ. Santa Cruz, CA United States)
DeVincenzi, Donald
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: American Astronomical Society Division on Dynamical Astronomy Meeting
Location: Mount Hood, OR
Country: United States
Start Date: April 21, 2002
End Date: April 24, 2002
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 344-30-50-01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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