Burns, J.A., D.P. Hamilton, F. Mignard, and S. Soter 1996. The
contamination of Iapetus by Phoebe dust. In Physics,
Chemistry, and Dynamics of Interplanetary Dust,
(B.A.S. Gustafson and M.S. Hanner, Eds.), 179-182.
We examine whether the dark, orbitally-leading hemisphere of Saturn's
satellite Iapetus might be coated by debris from low-albedo Phoebe, which
orbits retrograde well exterior to Iapetus. Using simplified analytical
models along with more complete numerical integrations, we follow the paths
of various-sized particles launched gently off Phoebe following collisions
with interplanetary and interstellar meteoroids. Micron grains can quickly
reach Iapetus since (due to solar radiation) they trace elliptical orbits;
larger grains may only hit after their more-circular orbits collapse due to
Poynting-Robertson drag; few very large and very small Phoebe grains strike
Iapetus. Despite some inconsistencies with observations, we conclude that
Phoebe may possibly be the agent that has darkened Iapetus.
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