Saturn's inner satellites : orbits, masses and the chaotic motion of Atlas from new Cassini imaging observations
N. J. Cooper, S. Renner, C. D. Murray, M. W. Evans

TL;DR
This study provides precise orbit and mass estimates for Saturn's inner satellites using new Cassini data, revealing Atlas's chaotic orbit and its resonance interactions, which enhance understanding of satellite dynamics.
Contribution
First detailed orbit and mass measurements for Saturn's inner satellites from extensive Cassini observations, highlighting Atlas's chaotic motion and resonance behavior.
Findings
Atlas is librating in co-rotation-eccentricity and Lindblad resonances with Prometheus.
Atlas's orbit is chaotic with a Lyapunov time of ~10 years.
Resonant arguments involving Prometheus, Pandora, and Epimetheus librate only when Epimetheus is the innermost co-orbital.
Abstract
We present numerically-derived orbits and mass estimates for the inner Saturnian satellites, Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Janus and Epimetheus from a fit to 2580 new Cassini ISS astrometric observations spanning February 2004 to August 2013. The observations are provided in a supplementary table. We estimate GM_ Atlas=0.384+/-0.001 x 10^(-3)km^3s^(-2), a value 13% smaller than the previously published estimate but with an order of magnitude reduction in the uncertainty. We also find GM_ Prometheus=10.677+/-0.006x10(-3)km^3s^(-2), GM_Pandora=9.133+/-0.009x10^(-3)km^3s^(-2), GM_Janus=126.51+/-0.03x10^(-3)km^3s^(-2) and GM_Epimetheus=35.110+/-0.009x10^(-3)km^3s^(-2), consistent with previously published values, but also with significant reductions in uncertainties. We show that Atlas is currently librating in both the 54:53 co-rotation-eccentricity resonance (CER) and the 54:53 inner…
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