Saturn Ring Seismology: Looking Beyond First Order Resonances

Abstract

Some wave features found in the C-ring of Saturn appear to be excited by resonances with normal mode oscillations of the planet. The waves are found at locations in the rings where the ratio of orbital to oscillation frequencies is given by m : m+1 where m is a small integer. I suggest here that it is plausible that ring waves may also be launched at second order resonances, where the frequency ratio would be m : m+2. Indeed, otherwise unassociated wave features are found at such locations in the C-ring. If confirmed the association of planetary modes with additional C-ring wave features would measure additional oscillation frequencies of Saturn and improve the utility of the waves for constraining the internal structure of the planet. Second-order resonances in general do not lie near first order ring resonance locations and thus are not the explanation for the apparent frequency splitting of modes.