Titan-Hyperion Resonance and the Tidal Q of Saturn

Abstract

Lainey et al. (2012), by re-analyzing long-baseline astrometry of Saturn's moons, have found that the moons' tidal evolution is much faster than previously thought, implying an order of magnitude stronger tidal dissipation within Saturn. This result is controversial and implies recent formation of at least some of the mid-sized icy moons of Saturn. Here we show that this more intensive tidal dissipation is in full agreement with the evolved state of the Titan-Hyperion resonance. This resonance was previously thought to be non-tidal in origin, as the amount of tidal evolution required for its assembly is beyond what is possible in models that assume that all the major moons are primordial. We find that the survival of the Titan-Hyperion resonance is in agreement with a past Titan-Iapetus 5:1 resonance, but not with unbroken tidal evolution of Rhea from the rings to its current distance.

Submitted to ApJL

Cited by in corpus (4)

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• Yarkovsky-Driven Spreading of the Eureka Family of Mars Trojans
• Strong tidal energy dissipation in Saturn at Titan's frequency as an explanation for Iapetus orbit
• Secular Resonance Between Iapetus and the Giant Planets