On the masses of Saturn's satellites

Abstract

The principal determinations of the masses of Saturn's satellites are rediscussed, with special attention to the standard errors. A new determination of the mass of Titan is made from the motion of the orbital plane of Iapetus, and an attempt is made to estimate the errors remaining in Woltjer's solution from Hyperion. The values resulting are as follows, expressed as fractions of the mass of Saturn : Mimas $$(6.69\,\pm\,0.20){10}^{-8}$;$ Enceladus $$(1.27\,\pm\,0.53){10}^{-7}$$ ; Tethys $$(1.141\,\pm\,0.030){10}^{-6}$$ ; Dione $$(1.825\,\pm\,0.061){10}^{-6}$$ ; Rhea $$(0.4\,\pm\,3.8){10}^{-6}$$ ; Titan $$(2.412\,\pm\,0.018){10}^{-4}$$ ; and Struve's constants for Saturn are $$k/{{a}_{0}}^2=0.024\,305\pm 0.000\,048$$ $$l/{{a}_{0}}^4=(11.0\pm2.0){10}^{-4}$.$