Discovery and Structure
The rings of Jupiter was the third ring system to be discovered in the Solar System, after those of Saturn and Uranus. It was first observed in 1979 by the Voyager 1 space probe. It comprises four main components: a thick inner torus of particles known as the "halo ring"; a relatively bright, exceptionally thin "main ring"; and two wide, thick and faint outer "gossamer rings", named after the moons of whose material they are composed: Amalthea and Thebe. The principal attributes of the known Jovian Rings are listed in the table.
| Name | Radius (km) | Width (km) | Thickness (km) | Optical depth | Dust fraction (in τ) | Mass, kg | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halo ring | 92 000–122 500 | 30 500 | 12 500 | ~1 × 10−6 | 100% | — | |
| Main ring | 122 500–129 000 | 6 500 | 30–300 | 5.9 × 10−6 | ~25% | 107– 109 (dust) 1011– 1016 (large particles) |
Bounded by Adrastea |
| Amalthea gossamer ring | 129 000–182 000 | 53 000 | 2 000 | ~1 × 10−7 | 100% | 107– 109 | Connected with Amalthea |
| Thebe gossamer ring | 129 000–226 000 | 97 000 | 8 400 | ~3 × 10−8 | 100% | 107– 109 | Connected with Thebe. There is an extension beyond the orbit of Thebe. |
Read more about this topic: Rings Of Jupiter
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