2011/08/02 by Pryscilla Maria Pires dos Santos, P. M. Pires dos Santos, Santos, P. M. Pires dos +7
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP) #FOS: Physical sciences #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #Planetary Science and Exploration #astro-ph.EP
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1108.0712
This paper has been withdrawn by the author and will be replaced by an updated version
openalex publication_date 2011/08/02 · arxiv created 2011/12/01 · arxiv updated 2011/12/02 · openalex created_date 2019/06/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
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 1μm particles in 1 year. A tenuous ring with a normal optical depth of 6 × 10-11 can be maintained by the dust particles released from the surfaces of Nix and Hydra.