1. GEOL 3045: Planetary Geology Lysa Chizmadia Uranus’ Moons Lysa Chizmadia Uranus’ Moons

2. Introduction  27 named moons –Named after Shakesperian & Alexander Pope characters  Groups –Shepherding Moons –Chaotic Moon Swarm –Puck, Mab & Cupid –Large Inner Satellites –Outer Irregular Satellites  27 named moons –Named after Shakesperian & Alexander Pope characters  Groups –Shepherding Moons –Chaotic Moon Swarm –Puck, Mab & Cupid –Large Inner Satellites –Outer Irregular Satellites Image from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Display=Moons&Object=Uranus

3. Shepherding Moons  Keep outer epsilon ring well defined  Cordelia –Inner shepherd –15km in diameter  Ophelia –Outer shepherd –16 km in diameter  Must be inner shepherds, but not yet discovered  Keep outer epsilon ring well defined  Cordelia –Inner shepherd –15km in diameter  Ophelia –Outer shepherd –16 km in diameter  Must be inner shepherds, but not yet discovered Image from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Ura_Cordelia

4. Choatic Moon Swarm  Orbital parameters highly chaotic –Probably collide with each other regularly  8 small satellites –Bianca (21 km radius) –Cressida (33km radius) –Desdemona (27 km radius) –Juliet (42km radius) –Portia (54km radius) –Rosalind (27km radius) –Belinda (33km radius) –Perdita  Orbital parameters highly chaotic –Probably collide with each other regularly  8 small satellites –Bianca (21 km radius) –Cressida (33km radius) –Desdemona (27 km radius) –Juliet (42km radius) –Portia (54km radius) –Rosalind (27km radius) –Belinda (33km radius) –Perdita Images from: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Display=Moons&Object=Uranus

5. Puck, Mab & Cupid  Puck –77km radius –Orbital period: 0.76 days –Inclination: 0.31 degrees  Mab –16 km radius –Orbital period: 0.92 days  Cupid –12km radius –Orbital period: 0.61 days  Puck –77km radius –Orbital period: 0.76 days –Inclination: 0.31 degrees  Mab –16 km radius –Orbital period: 0.92 days  Cupid –12km radius –Orbital period: 0.61 days Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/puck.htm

6. Major Satellites  Miranda –Smallest of 5 –Huge fault canyons  Ariel –Brightest & very young surface –Intersecting valleys  Umbriel –Darkest & ancient –Mysterious bright ring  Titania –Largest moon  Oberon –Heavily cratered  Miranda –Smallest of 5 –Huge fault canyons  Ariel –Brightest & very young surface –Intersecting valleys  Umbriel –Darkest & ancient –Mysterious bright ring  Titania –Largest moon  Oberon –Heavily cratered Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Uranus Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Uranus_moons.jpg

7. Miranda  Diameter: 470 km  Orbital period: 1.4 days  Eccentricity: 0.0013  Inclination: 4.23  (high)  Density: 1.20 g/cm 3  Fault canyons –20km deep  Mixture of young & old terrains –Jumbled together –Tidal forces?  Diameter: 470 km  Orbital period: 1.4 days  Eccentricity: 0.0013  Inclination: 4.23  (high)  Density: 1.20 g/cm 3  Fault canyons –20km deep  Mixture of young & old terrains –Jumbled together –Tidal forces? Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html

8. Ariel  Diameter: 1156 km  Orbital period: 2.5 days  Eccentricity: 0.0012  Inclination: 0.26   Density: 1.67 g/cm 3  Mixture of heavily cratered terrains & smooth plains  Dry ice detected on surface  Interconnected valleys –Chasmata –100s km long –>10 km deep –Floors smoothed by fluid  Diameter: 1156 km  Orbital period: 2.5 days  Eccentricity: 0.0012  Inclination: 0.26   Density: 1.67 g/cm 3  Mixture of heavily cratered terrains & smooth plains  Dry ice detected on surface  Interconnected valleys –Chasmata –100s km long –>10 km deep –Floors smoothed by fluid Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html

9. Umbriel  Diameter: 1169 km (~ Ariel)  Orbital period: 4.14 days  Eccentricity: 0.0039  Inclination: 0.36   Density: 1.40 g/cm 3 (~ Ariel)  Very old, heavily cratered surface  Mysterious bright ring –Wunda –140 km diameter  Diameter: 1169 km (~ Ariel)  Orbital period: 4.14 days  Eccentricity: 0.0039  Inclination: 0.36   Density: 1.40 g/cm 3 (~ Ariel)  Very old, heavily cratered surface  Mysterious bright ring –Wunda –140 km diameter Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html Wunda

10. Titania  Orbital period: 8.7 days  Eccentricity: 0.0011  Inclination: 0.34   Density: 1.72 g/cm 3  Largest moon of Uranus  Mixture of cratered terrains & interconnected valleys –Largest trench 1600km long –Faults  internal forces  Orbital period: 8.7 days  Eccentricity: 0.0011  Inclination: 0.34   Density: 1.72 g/cm 3  Largest moon of Uranus  Mixture of cratered terrains & interconnected valleys –Largest trench 1600km long –Faults  internal forces Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html Image from:http://www.solarviews.com/eng/titania.htm

11. Oberon  Diameter: 1523 km  Orbital period: 13.5 days  Eccentricity: 0.0008  Inclination: 0.10   Density: 1.64 g/cm 3  2nd Largest moon of Uranus  Heavily cratered w/ bright rays  S hemisphere has large faults  Diameter: 1523 km  Orbital period: 13.5 days  Eccentricity: 0.0008  Inclination: 0.10   Density: 1.64 g/cm 3  2nd Largest moon of Uranus  Heavily cratered w/ bright rays  S hemisphere has large faults Image from: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/U/Uranusmoons.html 6 km high

12. Outer Irregular Satellites  Retrograde & highly inclined  5 moons –Caliban –Stephano –Sycorax –Prospero –Setebos  Retrograde & highly inclined  5 moons –Caliban –Stephano –Sycorax –Prospero –Setebos Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moons_of_Uranus Image from: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/caliban.htm

13. Summary  Inner shepherd moons –Cordelia & Ophelia  Puck, Mab & Cupid  Largest –Miranda: heavily cratered terrain mixed w/ smooth blocks –Ariel: brightest & has chasmata with smooth floors –Umbriel: darkest & has bright ring crater on N pole –Titania: largest moon & mixture of cratered terrain & trenchs & faults –Oberon: highly cratered  Outer irregular satellites –Retrograde & highly inclined –Probable captured asteroids  Inner shepherd moons –Cordelia & Ophelia  Puck, Mab & Cupid  Largest –Miranda: heavily cratered terrain mixed w/ smooth blocks –Ariel: brightest & has chasmata with smooth floors –Umbriel: darkest & has bright ring crater on N pole –Titania: largest moon & mixture of cratered terrain & trenchs & faults –Oberon: highly cratered  Outer irregular satellites –Retrograde & highly inclined –Probable captured asteroids