P. M. Pires dos Santos, S. M. Giuliatti Winter, R. Sfair, D. C. Mourão
Impacts of micrometeoroids on the surfaces of Nix and Hydra can produced dust
particles and form a ring around Pluto. However, dissipative forces, such as
the solar radiation pressure, can lead the particles into collisions in a very
short period of time. In this work we investigate the orbital evolution of
escaping ejecta under the effects of the radiation pressure force combined with
the gravitational effects of Pluto,Charon, Nix and Hydra. The mass production
rate from the surfaces of Nix and Hydra was obtained from analytical models. By
comparing the lifetime of the survived particles, derived from our numerical
simulations, and the mass of a putative ring mainly formed by the particles
released from the surfaces of Nix and Hydra we could estimate the ring normal
optical depth. The released particles, encompassing the orbits of Nix and
Hydra, temporarily form a 16000 km wide ring. Collisions with the massive
bodies, mainly due to the effects of the radiation pressure force, remove about
50% of the $1\mu$m particles in 1 year. A tenuous ring with a normal optical
depth of $6 \times 10^{-11}$ can be maintained by the dust particles released
from the surfaces of Nix and Hydra.
View original:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1108.0712
No comments:
Post a Comment