Abstract
Rocketborne UV spectroscopic measurements have shown that a surprisingly dense cloud of atomic hydrogen surrounds Saturn1,2 which has been interpreted as being associated with the Saturn ring system. Verification of an UV emission cloud related to the rings is given by Pioneer 11 flyby measurements3. Several ring sources of atomic hydrogen have been proposed4–7, but abundance and lifetime estimates given below require a source which is much more potent than those previously considered. An alternate mechanism which satisfies this source requirement is proposed here, and involves photodissociation of surface water molecules on the icy ring material.
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Carlson, R. Photo-sputtering of ice and hydrogen around Saturn's rings. Nature 283, 461 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/283461a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/283461a0
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