On a ring origin of the equatorial ridge of Iapetus |
On a ring origin of the equatorial ridge of Iapetus |
Guest_AlexBlackwell_* |
Aug 29 2006, 06:18 PM
Post
#1
|
Guests |
Wing Ip just had an interesting Iapetus-related paper published in GRL.
|
|
|
Sep 10 2006, 01:00 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 903 Joined: 30-January 05 Member No.: 162 |
I am thinking we aren't going to see an Iapetan style ridge structure on Pluto or Charon, unfortunately.
Wafts of the Plutonian atmosphere up to the top of it's Roche limit will probably disrupt ring formation. If that isn't enough, Pluto and Charon, due to their mass and proximity, will mutually disrupt each others ability to form an orderly ring system. Originating materials for a subsequent ring system will be perturbed enough to preclude their collapse to the Lapacian plane. Those materials will contact the surfaces of Pluto and Charon at random locations as their orbital eccenticities are bumped up by the mutual tidal effects of Pluto and Charon. We see such effects in the vicinity of earth's moon, and apparently around Venus. Mass ratios and seperations of Pluto and Charon are inhospitable to ring formation. Still plenty of interesting things for New Horizons to see though . . . . . |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 27th September 2024 - 08:38 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |