Satellite shepherd
A satellite shepherd is, in Celestial mechanics, a Natural satellite of a Planet which limits the extent of a ring of this planet.
Typically, a satellite shepherd is a body of a modest size orbiting near the edges of a ring. The Gravité generated by the satellite confines the ring and delimits a precise edge to him. Indeed, the materials which move away from there either are returned in the ring, or ejected this one, or are integrated into the the Moon.
Examples
- Saturn's rings:
- Side (in the Division of Encke)
- Daphnis (in the Division of Keeler)
- Atlas (satellite external shepherd of the Anneau has)
- Prométhée, S/2004 S 4 and S/2004 S 6 (satellite internal shepherds of the Anneau F)
- Pandore and S/2004 S 3 (satellite external shepherds of the Anneau F)
- Cordélia (satellite shepherd interns Anneau epsilon)
- Ophélie (satellite external shepherd of the Anneau epsilon)
- the Anneau Adams contains three named prominent arcs Liberté, Egalité and Fraternity. It is possible that the gravitational attraction of Galatée, located just inside the ring, confines them.
See too
Internal bonds
| Random links: | S Virtus | The Community of communes of the Canton of Fauquembergues | Micheline Luccioni | Trish Johnson | Mel Hakes | Le_gaz_fonctionne_le_parc |