Irregular Satellites Research Articles

FOMALHAUT b AS A DUST CLOUD: FREQUENT COLLISIONS WITHIN THE FOMALHAUT DISK

The planet candidate Fomalhaut b is bright in optical light but undetected in longer wavelengths, requiring a large, reflective dust cloud. The most recent observations find an extremely eccentric orbit (e ~ 0.8), indicating that Fomalhaut b cannot be the planet that is constraining the system's eccentric debris ring. An irregular satellite swarm around a super-Earth has been proposed, however, explaining the well-constrained debris ring requires an additional planet on an orbit that crosses that of the putative super-Earth. This paper expands upon a second theory: Fomalhaut b is a transient dust cloud produced by a catastrophic collision between planetesimals in the disk. We perform collisional probability simulations of the Fomalhaut debris disk based on the structure of our Kuiper belt, finding that the catastrophic disruption rate of d ~ 100 km bodies in the high-eccentricity scattering component is several per decade. This model paints a picture of the Fomalhaut system as having recently (within ~10-100 Myr) experienced a dynamical instability within its planetary system, which scattered a massive number of planetesimals onto large, high eccentricity orbits similar to that of Fom b. If Fomalhaut b is indeed a dust cloud produced by such a collision, we should soon see another appear, while Fomalhaut b will expand until it is either resolved or becomes too faint to be seen.

Asteroid 2014 OL339: yet another Earth quasi-satellite

Our planet has one permanently bound satellite -the Moon-, a likely large number of mini-moons or transient irregular natural satellites, and three temporary natural retrograde satellites or quasi-satellites. These quasi-moons -(164207) 2004 GU9, (277810) 2006 FV35 and 2013 LX28- are unbound companions to the Earth. The orbital evolution of quasi-satellites may transform them into temporarily bound satellites of our planet. Here, we study the dynamical evolution of the recently discovered Aten asteroid 2014 OL339 to show that it is currently following a quasi-satellite orbit with respect to the Earth. This episode started at least about 775 yr ago and it will end 165 yr from now. The orbit of this object is quite chaotic and together with 164207 are the most unstable of the known Earth quasi-satellites. This group of minor bodies is, dynamically speaking, very heterogeneous but three of them exhibit Kozai-like dynamics: the argument of perihelion of 164207 oscillates around -90 degrees, the one of 277810 librates around 180 degrees and that of 2013 LX28 remains around 0 degrees. Asteroid 2014 OL339 is not currently engaged in any Kozai-like dynamics.

THE 3 μm SPECTRUM OF JUPITER's IRREGULAR SATELLITE HIMALIA

We present a medium resolution spectrum of Jupiter's irregular satellite Himalia covering the critical 3 $\mu$m spectral region. The spectrum shows no evidence for aqueously altered phyllosilicates, as had been suggested from the tentative detection of a 0.7 $\mu$m absorption, but instead shows a spectrum strikingly similar to the C/CF type asteroid 52 Europa. 52 Europa is the prototype of a class of asteroids generally situated in the outer asteroid belt between less distant asteroids which show evidence for aqueous alteration and more distant asteroids which show evidence for water ice. The spectral match between Himalia and this group of asteroids is surprising and difficult to reconcile with models of the origin of the irregular satellites.

Surface roughness and three-dimensional heat conduction in thermophysical models

A thermophysical model is presented that considers surface roughness, cast shadows, multiple or single scattering of radiation, visual and thermal infrared self heating, as well as heat conduction in one or three dimensions. The code is suitable for calculating infrared spectral energy distributions for spatially resolved or unresolved minor Solar System bodies without significant atmospheres or sublimation, such as the Moon, Mercury, asteroids, irregular satellites or inactive regions on comet nuclei. It is here used to explore the effects of surface roughness on spatial scales small enough for heat conduction to erase lateral temperature gradients. Analytically derived corrections to one-dimensional models that reproduce the results of three-dimensional modeling are presented. We find that the temperature of terrains with such small-scale roughness is identical to that of smooth surfaces for certain types of topographies and non-scattering material. However, systematic differences between smooth and rough terrains are found for scattering materials, or topographies with prominent positive relief. Contrary to common beliefs, the roughness on small spatial scales may therefore affect the thermal emission of Solar System bodies.

The science case for an orbital mission to Uranus: Exploring the origins and evolution of ice giant planets

Giant planets helped to shape the conditions we see in the Solar System today and they account for more than 99% of the mass of the Sun’s planetary system. They can be subdivided into the Ice Giants (Uranus and Neptune) and the Gas Giants (Jupiter and Saturn), which differ from each other in a number of fundamental ways. Uranus, in particular is the most challenging to our understanding of planetary formation and evolution, with its large obliquity, low self-luminosity, highly asymmetrical internal field, and puzzling internal structure. Uranus also has a rich planetary system consisting of a system of inner natural satellites and complex ring system, five major natural icy satellites, a system of irregular moons with varied dynamical histories, and a highly asymmetrical magnetosphere. Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have explored Uranus, with a flyby in 1986, and no mission is currently planned to this enigmatic system. However, a mission to the uranian system would open a new window on the origin and evolution of the Solar System and would provide crucial information on a wide variety of physicochemical processes in our Solar System. These have clear implications for understanding exoplanetary systems. In this paper we describe the science case for an orbital mission to Uranus with an atmospheric entry probe to sample the composition and atmospheric physics in Uranus’ atmosphere. The characteristics of such an orbiter and a strawman scientific payload are described and we discuss the technical challenges for such a mission. This paper is based on a white paper submitted to the European Space Agency’s call for science themes for its large-class mission programme in 2013.

EXCITATION OF THE ORBITAL INCLINATION OF IAPETUS DURING PLANETARY ENCOUNTERS

Saturn's moon Iapetus has an orbit in a transition region where the Laplace surface is bending from the equator to the orbital plane of Saturn. The orbital inclination of Iapetus to the local Laplace plane is ~8 deg, which is unexpected, because the inclination should be ~0 if Iapetus formed from a circumplanetary disk on the Laplace surface. It thus appears that some process has pumped up Iapetus's inclination while leaving its eccentricity near zero (e=0.03 at present). Here we examined the possibility that Iapetus's inclination was excited during the early solar system instability when encounters between Saturn and ice giants occurred. We found that the dynamical effects of planetary encounters on Iapetus's orbit sensitively depend on the distance of the few closest encounters. In four out of ten instability cases studied here, the orbital perturbations were too large to be plausible. In one case, Iapetus's orbit was practically unneffected. In the remaining five cases, the perturbations of Iapetus's inclination were adequate to explain its present value. In three of these cases, however, Iapetus's eccentricity was excited to 0.1-0.25, and it is not clear whether it could have been damped to its present value (0.03) by some subsequent process (e.g., tides and dynamical friction from captured irregular satellites do not seem to be strong enough). Our results therefore imply that only 2 out of 10 instability cases (~20%) can excite Iapetus's inclination to its present value (~30% of trials lead to >5 deg) while leaving its orbital eccentricity low.

FORMATION OF ISOTHERMAL DISKS AROUND PROTOPLANETS. I. INTRODUCTORY THREE-DIMENSIONAL GLOBAL SIMULATIONS FOR SUB-NEPTUNE-MASS PROTOPLANETS

The regular satellites found around Neptune ($\approx 17~M_{\Earth}$) and Uranus ($\approx 14.5~M_{\Earth}$) suggest that past gaseous circumplanetary disks may have co-existed with solids around sub-Neptune-mass protoplanets ($< 17~M_{\Earth}$). These disks have been shown to be cool, optically thin, quiescent, with low surface density and low viscosity. Numerical studies of the formation are difficult and technically challenging. As an introductory attempt, three-dimensional global simulations are performed to explore the formation of circumplanetary disks around sub-Neptune-mass protoplanets embedded within an isothermal protoplanetary disk at the inviscid limit of the fluid in the absence of self-gravity. Under such conditions, a sub-Neptune-mass protoplanet can reasonably have a rotationally supported circumplanetary disk. The size of the circumplanetary disk is found to be roughly one-tenth of the corresponding Hill radius, which is consistent with the orbital radii of irregular satellites found for Uranus. The protoplanetary gas accretes onto the circumplanetary disk vertically from high altitude and returns to the protoplanetary disk again near the midplane. This implies an open system in which the circumplanetary disk constantly exchanges angular momentum and material with its surrounding prenatal protoplanetary gas.

Analysis of the potential field and equilibrium points of irregular-shaped minor celestial bodies

The equilibrium points of the gravitational potential field of minor celestial bodies, including asteroids, comets, and irregular satellites of planets, are studied. In order to understand better the orbital dynamics of massless particles moving near celestial minor bodies and their internal structure, both internal and external equilibrium points of the potential field of the body are analyzed. In this paper, the location and stability of the equilibrium points of 23 minor celestial bodies are presented. In addition, the contour plots of the gravitational effective potential of these minor bodies are used to point out the differences between them. Furthermore, stability and topological classifications of equilibrium points are discussed, which clearly illustrate the topological structure near the equilibrium points and help to have an insight into the orbital dynamics around the irregular-shaped minor celestial bodies. The results obtained here show that there is at least one equilibrium point in the potential field of a minor celestial body, and the number of equilibrium points could be one, five, seven, and nine, which are all odd integers. It is found that for some irregular-shaped celestial bodies, there are more than four equilibrium points outside the bodies while for some others there are no external equilibrium points. If a celestial body has one equilibrium point inside the body, this one is more likely linearly stable.

CAPTURE OF IRREGULAR SATELLITES AT JUPITER

The irregular satellites of outer planets are thought to have been captured from heliocentric orbits. The exact nature of the capture process, however, remains uncertain. We examine the possibility that irregular satellites were captured from the planetesimal disk during the early Solar System instability when encounters between the outer planets occurred (Nesvorny, Vokrouhlicky & Morbidelli 2007, AJ 133; hereafter NVM07). NVM07 already showed that the irregular satellites of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were plausibly captured during planetary encounters. Here we find that the current instability models present favorable conditions for capture of irregular satellites at Jupiter as well, mainly because Jupiter undergoes a phase of close encounters with an ice giant. We show that the orbital distribution of bodies captured during planetary encounters provides a good match to the observed distribution of irregular satellites at Jupiter. The capture efficiency for each particle in the original transplanetary disk is found to be (1.3-3.6)x10^-8. This is roughly enough to explain the observed population of jovian irregular moons. We also confirm NVM07's results for the irregular satellites of Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

First observations of the Phoebe ring in optical light

The Phoebe ring, Saturn’s largest and faintest ring, lies far beyond the planet’s well-known main rings. It is primarily sourced by collisions with Saturn’s largest irregular satellite Phoebe, perhaps through stochastic macroscopic collisions, or through more steady micrometeoroid bombardment. The ring was discovered with the Spitzer Space Telescope at 24μm and has a normal optical depth of ∼2×10−8 (Verbiscer, A.J., Skrutskie, M.F., Hamilton, D.P. [2009]. Nature 461, 1098–1100). We report the first observations of sunlight scattered off the Phoebe ring using the Cassini spacecraft’s ISS camera at optical wavelengths. We find that material between ≈130 and 210 saturnian radii (RS) from the planet produces an I/F of 1.7±0.1×10-11 per RS of the line-of-sight distance through the disk. Combining our measurements with the Spitzer infrared data, we can place constraints on the ring-particles’ light-scattering properties. Depending on the particles’ assumed phase function, the derived single-scattering albedo can match either photometric models of Phoebe’s dark regolith or brighter sub-surface material excavated by macroscopic impacts on Phoebe.

Consequences of an eccentric orbit for Fomalhaut b

Fomalhaut b is currently the least massive, directly imaged exoplanet candidate. New observation epochs have revealed this object to be moving on a highly eccentric orbit, which sets important new constraints. I consider scenarios where Fomalhaut b is the only object interacting with the debris disc, and ones involving an additional unseen planet. I also investigate the possibility that Fomalhaut b is merely a transient dust cloud in light of the revised eccentric orbit. I argue that the scenario best able to match the observational constraints is a super-Earth Fomalhaut b surrounded by a vast cloud of dust that is generated by a population of irregular satellites, with an undetected ∼Saturn-mass planet orbiting interior to the disc and driving the secular dynamics. Testable predictions are summarized that could differentiate between this scenario and other possibilities.

Chaotic dust dynamics and implications for the hemispherical color asymmetries of the Uranian satellites

Dust grains generated by the Uranian irregular satellites will undergo chaotic large-amplitude eccentricity oscillations under the simultaneous action of radiation forces and the highly misaligned quadrupole potentials of the oblate planet and distant Sun. From a suite of orbital histories, we estimate collision probabilities of dust particles with the regular satellites and argue that this process may explain the observed hemispherical color asymmetries of the outermost four regular satellites of Uranus.

A resonant family of dynamically cold small bodies in the near-Earth asteroid belt

Abstract Near-Earth objects (NEOs) moving in resonant, Earth-like orbits are potentially important. On the positive side, they are the ideal targets for robotic and human low-cost sample return missions and a much cheaper alternative to using the Moon as an astronomical observatory. On the negative side and even if small in size (2–50 m), they have an enhanced probability of colliding with the Earth causing local but still significant property damage and loss of life. Here, we show that the recently discovered asteroid 2013 BS45 is an Earth co-orbital, the sixth horseshoe librator to our planet. In contrast with other Earth's co-orbitals, its orbit is strikingly similar to that of the Earth yet at an absolute magnitude of 25.8, an artificial origin seems implausible. The study of the dynamics of 2013 BS45 coupled with the analysis of NEO data show that it is one of the largest and most stable members of a previously undiscussed dynamically cold group of small NEOs experiencing repeated trappings in the 1:1 commensurability with the Earth. This new resonant family is well constrained in orbital parameter space and it includes at least 10 other transient members: 2003 YN107, 2006 JY26, 2009 SH2 and 2012 FC71 among them. 2012 FC71 represents the best of both worlds as it is locked in a Kozai resonance and is unlikely to impact the Earth. These objects are not primordial and may have originated within the Venus–Earth–Mars region or in the main-belt, then transition to Amor-class asteroid before entering Earth's co-orbital region. Objects in this group could be responsible for the production of Earth's transient irregular natural satellites.

Irregular satellites of Jupiter: three-dimensional study of binary-asteroid captures

UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista FEG. Grupo de Dinamica Orbital e Planetologia, Av. Dr. Ariberto Pereira da Cunha, 333, Guaratingueta, SP, CEP 12.516-410

High-Precision Measurements of the Brightness Variation of Nereid

Abstract Nereid, the outer satellite of Neptune, has a highly eccentric prograde orbit with a semimajor axis of larger than 200 in units of Neptune's radius, and is classified as an irregular satellite. Although the capture origin of irregular satellites has been widely accepted, several previous studies suggest that Nereid was formed in the circumplanetary disk of Neptune and ejected outward to the present location by Triton. A series of our photometric observations confirm that Nereid's rotation period, 11.5 hr, is stable and nonchaotic, as indicated by Grav, Holman, and Kavelaars (2003, ApJ, 591, L71). The optical colors of Nereid are indistinguishable from those of trans-Neptunian objects and Centaurs, especially from these objects with neutral colors. We also found the consistency of Nereid's rotation period based on the size–rotation distribution of small outer bodies. It is likely that Nereid originated as an immigrant body captured from the heliocentric orbit that was 4–5 AU away from Neptune's orbit.

Temporary capture of planetesimals by a giant planet and implication for the origin of irregular satellites

Temporary capture of planetesimals by a giant planet and implication for the origin of irregular satellites

Black rain: The burial of the Galilean satellites in irregular satellite debris

Irregular satellites are dormant comet-like bodies that reside on distant prograde and retrograde orbits around the giant planets. They are likely to be captured objects. Dynamical modeling work indicates they may have been caught during a violent reshuffling of the giant planets ∼4Gy ago (Ga) as described by the so-called Nice model. According to this scenario, giant planet migration scattered tens of Earth masses of comet-like bodies throughout the Solar System, with some comets finding themselves near giant planets experiencing mutual encounters. In these cases, gravitational perturbations between the giant planets were often sufficient to capture the comet-like bodies onto irregular satellite-like orbits via three-body reactions. Modeling work suggests these events led to the capture of on the order of ∼0.001 lunar masses of comet-like objects on isotropic orbits around the giant planets. Roughly half of the population was readily lost by interactions with the Kozai resonance. The remaining half found themselves on orbits consistent with the known irregular satellites. From there, the bodies experienced substantial collisional evolution, enough to grind themselves down to their current low-mass states.Here we explore the fate of the putative irregular satellite debris in the Jupiter system. Pulverized by collisions, we hypothesize that the carbonaceous chondrite-like material was beaten into small enough particles that it could be driven toward Jupiter by Poynting–Robertson (P–R) drag forces. Assuming its mass distribution was dominated by D>50μm particles, we find that >40% ended up striking the Galilean satellites. The majority were swept up by Callisto, with a factor of 3–4 and 20–30 fewer particles reaching Ganymede and Europa/Io, respectively. Collision evolution models indicate most of this material arrived about 4Ga, but some is still arriving today. We predict that Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, and Io were buried about 4Ga by ∼120–140m, 25–30m, 7–15m, and 7–8m of dark debris, respectively. The first two values are consistent with observations of the deepest dark lag deposits found on the most ancient terrains of Callisto and Ganymede. The rest of the debris was likely worked into the crusts of these worlds by geologic and impact processes. This suggests the debris is a plausible source of the dark lag material found in Europa’s low-lying crevices. More speculatively, it is conceivable that the accreted dark particles were a significant source of organic material to Europa’s subsurface ocean.

Spectrophotometric investigation of Phobos with the Rosetta OSIRIS-NAC camera and implications for its collisional capture

The Martian satellite Phobos has been observed on 2007 February 24 and 25, during the pre- and post-Mars closest approach (CA) of the ESA Rosetta spacecraft Mars swing-by. The goal of the observations was the determination of the surface composition of different areas of Phobos, in order to obtain new clues regarding its nature and origin. Near-ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared (263.5–992.0 nm) images of Phobos's surface were acquired using the Narrow Angle Camera of the OSIRIS instrument onboard Rosetta. The six multi-wavelength sets of observations allowed a spectrophotometric characterization of different areas of the satellite, belonging respectively to the leading and trailing hemisphere of the anti-Mars hemisphere, and also of a section of its sub-Mars hemisphere. The pre-CA spectrophotometric data obtained with a phase angle of 19° have a spectral trend consistent within the error bars with those of unresolved/disc-integrated measurements present in the literature. In addition, we detect an absorption band centred at 950 nm, which is consistent with the presence of pyroxene. The post-CA observations cover from NUV to NIR a portion of the surface (0° to 43°E of longitude) never studied before. The reflectance measured on our data does not fit with the previous spectrophotometry above 650 nm. This difference can be due to two reasons. First, the OSIRIS observed area in this observation phase is completely different with respect to the other local specific spectra and hence the spectrum may be different. Secondly, due to the totally different observation geometry (the phase angle ranges from 137° to 140°), the differences of spectral slope can be due to phase reddening. The comparison of our reflectance spectra, both pre- and post-CA, with those of D-type asteroids shows that the spectra of Phobos are all redder than the mean D-type spectrum, but within the spectral dispersion of other D-types. To complement this result, we performed an investigation of the conditions needed to collisionally capture Phobos in a way similar to that proposed for the irregular satellites of the giant planets. Once put in the context of the current understanding of the evolution of the early Solar system, the coupled observational and dynamical results we obtained strongly argue for an early capture of Phobos, likely immediately after the formation of Mars.

WISE/NEOWISEOBSERVATIONS OF THE JOVIAN TROJAN POPULATION: TAXONOMY

We present updated/new thermal model fits for 478 Jovian Trojan asteroids observed with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Using the fact that the two shortest bands used by WISE, centered on 3.4 and $4.6\mu$m, are dominated by reflected light, we derive albedos of a significant fraction of these objects in these bands. While the visible albedos of both the C-, P- and D-type asteroids are strikingly similar, the WISE data reveal that the albedo at $3.4\mu$m is different between C-/P- and D-types. The albedo at 3.4$\mu$m can be thus be used to classify the objects, with C-/P-types having values less than 10%, and D-types have values larger than 10%. Classifying all objects larger than 50km shows that the D-type objects dominate both the leading cloud ($L_4$), with a fraction of 84%, and trailing cloud ($L_5$), with a fraction of 71-80%. The two clouds thus have very similar taxonomic distribution for these large objects, but the leading cloud has a larger number of of these large objects, $L_4/L_5 = 1.34$. The taxonomic distribution of the Jovian Trojans are found to be different than that of the large Hildas, which is dominated by C- and P-type objects. At smaller sizes, the fraction of D-type Hildas starts increasing, showing more similarities with the Jovian Trojans. If this similarity is confirmed through deeper surveys, it could hold important clues to the formation and evolution of the two populations. The Jovian Trojans does have similar taxonomic distribution to that of the Jovian irregular satellites, but lacks the ultra red surfaces found among the Saturnian irregular satellites and Centaur population.

IRREGULAR SATELLITES OF THE OUTER PLANETS: ORBITAL UNCERTAINTIES AND ASTROMETRIC RECOVERIES IN 2009–2011

More than 100 small satellites have been identified orbiting the giant planets in distant, inclined, eccentric orbits. Detailed study of these objects requires that their orbits be known well enough to permit routine observations both from the Earth and from spacecraft. Unfortunately, many of the satellites have very poorly known orbits due to a scarcity of astrometric measurements. We have developed a reliable method to estimate the future on-sky position uncertainties of the satellites and have verified that those uncertainties provide a correct measure of the true on-sky positional uncertainty. Based on the uncertainties, we identified a set of satellites that are effectively 'lost' and another set that would be lost if additional observations were not obtained in the near future. We attempted recoveries of 26 of the latter group using the Hale 5 m and CFHT 3.6 m telescopes and found 23. This validated our method's predictions and led to significant improvements in our knowledge of the orbits of the recovered moons. There remains a handful of irregular moons which are recoverable and whose orbits will benefit from additional observations during the next decade, while 16 moons of Jupiter and Saturn are essentially lost and will require a re-surveymore » to be located again.« less