Saturnian atom

What was true for Nagaoka s Saturnian atom was also true, theoretically, for the atom Rutherford had found by experiment. It the atom operated by the mechanical laws of classical physics, the Newtonian laws that govern relationships within planetary systems, then Rutherford s model should not work. But his was not a merely theoretical construct. It was the result of real physical experiment. And work it clearly did. It was as stable as the ages and it bounced back alpha particles like cannon shells. 

A torus of hydrogen atoms has been detected near Saturn. The source of the hydrogen atoms is probably Titan, as argued most recently by Richardson and Eviatar (1987). Titan may also be the source of a torus of nitrogen atoms (Barbosa 1987). Thus the chemistry of the Titan atmosphere profoundly influences the distribution of material throughout the entire Saturnian system. 

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