The sharp edge of the outer A ring, however, cannot be explained by one moon (Janus). A new theory argues that seven moons—Pan, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Epimetheus, Mimas and Janus—must work in concert to keep the edge confined. The reason, Science Daily explains, is that rings have a tendency to spread out.
Astrobiology Magazine sets up the issue:
"Key among the questions scientists hope to answer using data from
Cassini are the age and origins of the rings. Theoretical modeling has shown that, without forces to confine them, the rings would spread out over hundreds of millions of years — much younger than Saturn itself. This spreading happens because faster-moving particles that orbit closer to Saturn occasionally collide with slower particles on slightly farther-out orbits. When this happens, some momentum from the faster particles is transferred to the slower particles, speeding the latter up in their orbit and causing them to move farther outward. The inverse happens to the faster, inner particles. Moon resonance theories allow for moons to absorb some of the angular momentum."
The question is whether this delicate arrangement could survive for billions of years. The answer is not helped by personification fallacie, like that of Radwan Tajeddine, who quipped, “All of these moons work as a group to contain the ring. Together they are strong. United they stand.”
Moons couldn’t care less what happens. Moons and rings simply follow the forces that impinge on them. The point is that today we see their forces converging to constrain the A ring to a sharp edge, but could that persist for billions of years?
Project scientist Linda Spilker goes with the flow of Tajeddine’s proposal of cooperating moons, saying, “If these moons weren’t working together, the A ring would have spread out over hundreds of millions of years” (New Scientist).
That sounds like a long time until you realize that a hundred million years represents only 3% of the assumed age of the solar system, including Saturn."
CEH
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God..... Hebrews 11:3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God..... Hebrews 11:3
