How old are Saturn's rings? Experts say they might be as old as our Solar System

(Representative Image: Canva)

For years, scientists believed Saturn's rings were young, only 100 to 400 million years old. However, a new study suggests that the iconic rings could be billions of years old. Researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo and the French National Centre for Scientific Research have uncovered an intriguing explanation for the rings’ clean, dust-free appearance.

Rings May Be Ancient After All

When NASA’s Cassini spacecraft observed Saturn’s rings in 2004, scientists were baffled. The rings appeared unusually clean, despite being exposed to constant micrometeoroid bombardment. This led to the assumption that they were relatively new. However, new theoretical work by planetary scientist Ryuki Hyodo suggests the rings’ cleanliness doesn’t indicate youth.

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According to Hyodo, the clean appearance of the rings doesn't mean they are young. "A clean appearance doesn’t necessarily mean the rings are young," he explained. His team’s research could offer insights for future planetary exploration. "You better not be fooled by first impressions," he added.

How the Rings Stay Clean

The clean appearance of Saturn's rings puzzled scientists. Normally, constant micrometeoroid impacts would fill the rings with dust. However, Hyodo’s team found that micrometeoroid impacts don’t darken the rings. When a micrometeoroid strikes an ice chunk, both the particle and the ice vaporise upon impact. This leaves behind charged nanoparticles, which Saturn’s magnetic field can push away from the rings.

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As a result, much of the debris escapes or falls into Saturn's atmosphere. This process prevents the rings from accumulating dust, keeping them bright and pristine.

Rings Could Last Longer Than Expected

Scientists previously thought Saturn's rings were slowly disappearing, with material falling into the planet at a rate that suggested they could disappear in just 100 million years. However, Hyodo’s team found that ring rain could actually come from vaporised water produced by micrometeoroid impacts. If Saturn's rings are older, they are more likely to last longer.

The study also suggests that Saturn's rings could have formed much earlier in the Solar System’s history. The chaotic environment billions of years ago could have led to a collision that created Saturn's iconic rings.

Hyodo and his colleagues are continuing their research to verify these findings. "We are conducting experiments to simulate micrometeoroid impacts," he said. "This will help validate our results and refine our understanding of Saturn’s rings."

The study was published in Nature Geoscience.