# Hamilton, D.P. and J.A. Burns 1994. The origin of Saturn's E ring: Self-sustained, naturally. Science 264, 550-553.

Saturn's diffuse E ring spans the region between 3 and 8 saturnian radii ($R_S$), has its peak brightness near the orbit of the satellite Enceladus (3.95$R_S$), and is thought to be composed primarily of icy particles $1(\pm0.3)$ microns in radius. Such particles are shown to move periodically along highly elliptical paths that cross the orbits of several saturnian satellites: the resulting energetic collisions of E ring particles with embedded satellites are capable of sustaining the E ring at its current optical depth. With several reasonable assumptions, this model naturally selects Enceladus as the primary source of ring material; it may also provide mechanisms for generating the unusual amounts of submicron dust in the neighboring F and G rings, for explaining the excess of OH molecules observed within the E ring, and for affecting the brightnesses of nearby satellites.