New research has cast doubt on the long-held belief that Saturn's rings are relatively young, suggesting instead that they could date back 4.5 billion years to when the planet formed.
The study, led by Ryuki Hyodo of the Institute of Science in Tokyo, Japan, explores why the icy rings have remained pristine and dirt-free despite billions of years of exposure to space debris.
The study challenges the widely accepted theory that Saturn's rings are between 100 and 400 million years old, a conclusion based on observations from NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
By using computer modeling, researchers demonstrated that micrometeoroids striking the rings are vaporized on impact, leaving little to no dark residue behind.
This mechanism helps explain why the rings appear so clean and suggests they might not be as young as previously thought.
Newsweek has reached out to Institute of Science in Tokyo for comment via email.
The age of Saturn's rings has been a topic of debate for decades and the new findings could change how scientists view the planet's history and its dynamic interactions with the solar system.
If the rings truly formed around the same time as Saturn, it would offer insights into the chaotic early years of the solar system, when planetary formation and migration were at their peak.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn from 2004 to 2017, provided the most comprehensive data on the rings to date. Scientists initially concluded that the lack of darkening caused by micrometeoroid impacts meant the rings were young.
However, Hyodo's team argues that this cleanliness is not a sign of youth, but a result of micrometeoroid impacts vaporizing on collision, with the resulting particles either being drawn into Saturn or expelled into space.
The study acknowledges that the rings might fall somewhere between the two age extremes, potentially forming around 2.25 billion years ago.
However, Hyodo notes that the solar system's tumultuous early history makes it more likely that the rings originated closer to the planet's formation.
"Considering the solar system's evolutionary history, it's more likely that the rings formed closer to Saturn's earliest times," Hyodo said.
His findings challenge the prevailing "baby rings" theory and open up new possibilities for understanding planetary ring systems.
Further studies and modeling will be needed to refine estimates of the rings' age and origin.
Scientists hope that future missions to Saturn or advancements in computer modeling will help confirm whether the planet's rings are truly ancient relics of the solar system's infancy or formed later under unique conditions.