Cited by 795Astro and Planetary ScienceStellar, planetary, and galactic studiesHistory and Developments in Astronomy

Encounter with Saturn: Voyager 1 imaging science results

Smith, Bradford A., Soderblom, Laurence, Beebe, Reta, Boyce, Joseph, Briggs, Geoffery, Bunker, Anne, Collins, Stewart A., Hansen, Candice J. +19 more·1981·Science

Abstract

As Voyager 1 flew through the Saturn system it returned photographs revealing many new and surprising characteristics of this complicated community of bodies. Saturn's atmosphere has numerous, low-contrast, discrete cloud features and a pattern of circulation significantly different from that of Jupiter. Titan is shrouded in a haze layer that varies in thickness and appearance. Among the icy satellites there is considerable variety in density, albedo, and surface morphology and substantial evidence for endogenic surface modification. Trends in density and crater characteristics are quite unlike those of the Galilean satellites. Small inner satellites, three of which were discovered in Voyager images, interact gravitationally with one another and with the ring particles in ways not observed elsewhere in the solar system. Saturn's broad A, B, and C rings contain hundreds of "ringlets," and in the densest portion of the B ring there are numerous nonaxisymmetric features. The narrow F ring has three components which, in at least one instance, are kinked and crisscrossed. Two rings are observed beyond the F ring, and material is seen between the C ring and the planet.

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Crossref · 10.1126/science.212.4491.163

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Authors
Smith, B. A., Soderblom, L., Beebe, R., Boyce, J., Briggs, G., Bunker, A., Collins, S. A., Hansen, C. J., Johnson, T. V., Mitchell, J. L., Terrile, R. J., Carr, M., Cook, A. F., Cuzzi, J., Pollack, J. B., Danielson, G. E., Ingersoll, A., Davies, M. E., Hunt, G. E., Masursky, H., Shoemaker, E., Morrison, D., Owen, T., Sagan, C., Veverka, J., Strom, R., & Suomi, V. E.
Affiliations
  • University of Arizona (US)
  • United States Geological Survey (US)
  • New Mexico State University (US)
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US)
  • California Institute of Technology (US)
  • University of Hawaii System (US)
Venue
Science
Published
1981-04-10
Volume
212
Issue
4491
Pages
163-191
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
OpenAlex
W1998543912
Cited by
795
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 13
FWCI
111.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • CaltechAUTHORS (California Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › History and Developments in Astronomy
Keywords
Saturn, Voyager 1, Saturn atmosphere, Titan haze, icy satellites, ringlets, Saturn rings, f-rings, satellite density, crater formation, planetary atmospheres

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