Saturn's Unsusal Rotation

A New Spin on Saturn
David J. Stevenson
Nature May 4, 2006
Volume 441 Issue 1

Saturn has a completely different planetary rotation than other planets in this solar system. “According to the International Astronomical Union Saturn rotates once every 10 hours, 39 minutes and 22.4 seconds.” The rotation of a planet is a fundamental property and can help scientists accurately measure the inner core and discuss the dynamics of its atmosphere. What is really interesting about Saturn is that its equatorial radius is 10% greater than its polar radius, making Saturn the most distorted planet in the solar system.

Saturn is made of mainly hydrogen and helium but it has an inner core made of rock and ice. The knowledge of the conformity of the planet will help scientists understand how it was formed. Saturn has a rotation unlike any other planet in the solar system and this may have something to do with its atmosphere and magnetic field. The winds on Saturn have been measured up to 400 m/s in the easterly direction, though scientists do not see how strong winds can have such an impact a planet’s rotation. The magnetic field of a planet is generated deep in the core and small changes can be influential to the rotation of the planet.

This is related to the vectors we are discussing in class. The planet’s rotation is in a uniform state of motion, but changes in that motion cause the velocity to speed up or slow down which is acceleration which is Newton’s 2^nd law, F=ma (with vectors). The rotation of a planet causes gravity and gravity is explained in Newton’s 4^th Law. The planet itself is not in a uniform state of motion because it is rotating around the sun, which is Newton’s 1^st law.

Scientists are unsure as to why Saturn has such a unique rotation, but they continue to research in hopes they will better understand the planet and how it was formed.