New Vision of the Saturnian System in the Context of a Highly Dissipative Saturn

This book collects a set of contributions that reflect the profound transformation in our understanding of Saturn and its system of rings and moons. Once considered a relatively stable and slowly evolving system, it is now recognized as highly dynamic, shaped by unexpectedly strong tidal dissipation within the planet. This has major implications for the orbital evolution of its satellites, suggesting rapid outward migration and challenging long-standing views on the age and origin of both moons and rings. Central to these advances is the wealth of data returned by the Cassini mission, whose long-term observations, combined with significant progress in theoretical modeling, have reshaped our picture of the coupled evolution of Saturn, its interior, its rings, and its satellites.

Bringing together leading experts across planetary science, this volume presents a coherent and interdisciplinary synthesis of these developments. The contributions explore the dynamical history of the Saturnian system, the processes governing tidal dissipation, and the complex interactions between rings, moons, and planetary interiors.

By highlighting both recent breakthroughs and remaining open questions, the book offers a new vision of Saturn as a laboratory for understanding planetary systems. It provides essential insights not only into the evolution of giant planets and their satellites, but also into broader processes shaping planetary systems throughout the Solar System and beyond.

Reprinted from Space Science Reviews, New Vision of the Saturnian System in the Context of a Highly Dissipative Saturn, Vol. 219-222, 2023-2026.

Valéry Lainey is an astronomer specializing in astrometry, celestial mechanics, and the dynamical evolution of planetary systems. Based at the Observatoire de Paris, his research focuses on the orbital motion of natural satellites—especially those of the giant planets—and long-term tidal interactions. He combines astrometric observations with numerical modeling to study how satellite systems evolve.
Michel Blanc is a space plasma physicist and planetary scientist. He is Chair Professor at Shandong University and Emeritus Professor at the University of Toulouse. His research focuses on planetary magnetospheres and space environments, particularly those of Earth, Saturn, and Jupiter. He contributed to the Cassini–Huygens mission and is involved in NASA’s Juno mission, while following ESA’s JUICE and China’s TianWen-4 missions. 
Aurélien Crida is an astrophysicist and professor at Université Côte d’Azur, where he leads the Master of Astrophysics (MAUCA). His research focuses on planetary formation, especially planet–disc interactions driving migration, as well as satellite–ring interactions in systems like Saturn’s. He uses analytical methods and numerical simulations to study the formation and evolution of planetary systems.
Jeff Cuzzi is a planetary scientist whose research focuses on planetary rings and early planet formation. He pioneered microwave observations and radiative transfer models of Saturn’s rings and later joined the Voyager imaging team, studying the rings of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. He served as Interdisciplinary Scientist for Rings and Dust on the Cassini-Huygens mission. His work blends observational and theoretical approaches to understand ring evolution and planetesimal formation.
Maryame El Moutamid is a planetary scientist and celestial mechanician specializing in the dynamics of planetary rings, moons, and interiors. She is a Lead Scientist at the Southwest Research Institute and was previously at Cornell. She earned her Ph.D. from the Paris Observatory in 2013. Her work combines numerical simulations, spacecraft observations, and telescope data to study how gravitational interactions shape planetary systems over time.
Gianrico Filacchione is a planetary scientist and Director of Research specializing in the composition and evolution of Solar System bodies. He uses visible and infrared spectroscopy to study icy satellites, comets, asteroids, rings, and giant planets. He is Principal Investigator of the MIST-A instrument for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt and co-PI of the VIHI channel on ESA’s BepiColombo mission. He has contributed to major missions including Cassini, Rosetta, Juno, and JUICE.
Carly Howett is a planetary scientist focusing on the surface properties of airless bodies. She combines spacecraft data analysis, mission operations, and instrument development to study temperature, composition, and surface processes. She is an Instrument Scientist on NASA’s Lucy mission, a Co-Investigator on Europa Clipper, and Principal Investigator of the Ralph instrument on New Horizons, and previously contributed to Cassini.
Tilman Spohn is a planetary geophysicist specializing in the evolution of planets, satellites, and small bodies, and their potential habitability. He served as Executive Director of the International Space Science Institute (2019–2022) and previously directed the DLR Institute of Planetary Research. He has led key mission experiments, including MUPUS on Rosetta’s Philae lander and HP³ on NASA’s InSight mission, and is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union.