Related papers: Saturn's ancient regular satellites
All four giant planets in the Solar system possess irregular satellites, characterized by large, highly eccentric and/or inclined orbits that are distinct from the nearly circular, uninclined orbits of the regular satellites. This…
Planetary satellites are an integral part of the heirarchy of planetary systems. Here we make two predictions concerning their formation. First, primordial satellites, which have an array of distinguishing characteristics, form only around…
Saturn's moon Iapetus has an equatorial ridge system, which may be as high as 20 km, that may have formed by endogenic forces, such as tectonic and convective forces, or exogenic processes such as debris infall. We use high-resolution…
We present 'empirical' models (pressure vs. density) of Saturn's interior constrained by the gravitational coefficients J_2, J_4, and J_6 for different assumed rotation rates of the planet. The empirical pressure-density profile is…
The ages of young star clusters are fundamental clocks to constrain the formation and evolution of pre-main-sequence stars and their protoplanetary disks and exoplanets. However, dating methods for very young clusters often disagree,…
Recent analyses of FGK stars in open clusters have helped clarify the precision with which a star's rotation rate and lithium content can be used as empirical indicators for its age. Here we apply this knowledge to stars observed by Kepler.…
Saturn was observed on 6-11 February 2002 using an Acousto-optic Imaging Spectrometer (AImS) to study Saturn's vertical cloud structure. The 3.67-m Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex was used.…
Saturn's magnetospheric magnetic field, planetary radio emissions, plasma populations and magnetospheric structure are all known to be modulated at periods close to the assumed rotation period of the planetary interior. These oscillations…
In this paper we address the following question: do the recent advances in the orbit determination of the major natural satellites of Saturn obtained with the analysis of the first data sets from the Cassini mission allow to detect the…
We use a sample of 73 simulated satellite and central dwarf galaxies spanning a stellar mass range of $10^{5.3}-10^{9.1} M_\odot$ to investigate the origin of their stellar age gradients. We find that dwarf galaxies often form their stars…
We combine recently computed models of stellar evolution using a new treatment of rotation with a Bayesian statistical framework to constrain the ages and other properties of early-type stars. We find good agreement for early-type stars and…
Satellite galaxies that are near to massive primary galaxies in close pairs can have stellar population ages that are more similar to their primaries than expected. This is one way in which close pairs of galaxies show galactic conformity,…
Saturn's ionosphere is produced when the otherwise neutral atmosphere is exposed to a flow of energetic charged particles or solar radiation. At low latitudes the latter should result in a weak planet-wide glow in infrared (IR),…
The high-precision photometry from the CoRoT and Kepler satellites has led to measurements of surface rotation periods for tens of thousands of stars. Our main goal is to derive ages of thousands of field stars using consistent rotation…
The Neptunian satellite system is unusual, comprising Triton, a large ($\sim2700$ km) moon on a close-in, circular, yet retrograde orbit, flanked by Nereid, the largest irregular satellite ($\sim$300 km) on a highly eccentric orbit. Capture…
We investigated the formation and evolution of satellite systems in a cold, extended circumplanetary disc around a 10 $M_{\rm{Jupiter}}$ gas giant which was formed by gravitational instability at 50\,AU from its star. The disc parameters…
We present an analysis of the radial age gradients for the stellar halos of five Milky Way mass-sized systems simulated as part of the Aquarius Project. The halos show a diversity of age trends, reflecting their different assembly…
Certain regions of Saturn's rings exhibit periodic opacity variations with characteristic radial wavelengths of up to a few hundred meters that have been attributed to viscous overstabilities. The Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer…
We present absorption line strength maps of a sample of 24 representative early-type spiral galaxies, mostly of type Sa, obtained as part of the SAURON survey of nearby galaxies using our custom-built integral-field spectrograph. Using…
The formation of trans-Neptunian satellite systems at the stage of rarefied preplanetesimals (i.e., condensations of dust and/or objects less than 1 m in diameter) is discussed. It is assumed that trans-Neptunian objects (including those…