2024-02-12 12:25:33
Scientists have discovered two thin rings surrounding Chariclo, a rocky, asteroid-like body located in the cold regions beyond Jupiter, suggesting that planetesimals may hold complex secrets.
The simulation shows that the presence of a small, invisible moon might be responsible for preserving these tiny rings and preventing them from dispersing, providing new insight into the dynamics of space objects.
The exact composition of the rings and how they interact is still unknown, encouraging further research and exploration to understand these unique space phenomena.
A group of scientists has discovered that the secret lives of small planets may be more complex and fascinating than previously thought. Where a pair was found Thin rings Surrounding a rocky, asteroid-like body located in the cold parts of space outside Jupiter, these rings likely have a small, invisible moon protecting them.
This rock is known as “Chariclo”, and it belongs to the class of minor planets known as centaurs, which are asteroid-like bodies that orbit the sun in the region between Jupiter and Neptune, far from the asteroid belt that extends between Jupiter and Mars.
With a diameter of only 250 kilometers (155 miles), Chariclo is the only centaur known to have rings, and it has not just one but two.
How asteroids maintain their rings is still in question, but led by astronomer Amanda Sicaphos of the Planetary Science Institute, a group of scientists ran simulations that revealed small moons may be a plausible explanation for this phenomenon.
For her part, Sicaphos said that the discovery of rings around minor planets is relatively recent, and that few systems are known to have this property. She pointed out that previous research focused largely on the wonderful rings surrounding giant planets, while the mechanisms of formation and evolution of rings around small bodies are still not well understood. She explained that small moons may play a role in sculpting and preserving these delicate rings.
Rings are not a rare phenomenon in our solar system; Half of the planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have known rings, and some dwarf planets also have rings. These rings generally consist of fine dust and ice grains that orbit around the object’s equator, remaining within its gravitational orbit, like a disintegrating moon.
As more and more asteroids are found with moons, the idea of small planets with thin rings is becoming less exotic. However, the presence of two clearly defined rings, as with Chariclo, is interesting.
Sicafos and her colleague, computer scientist Mark Lewis from Trinity University, wanted to explore why the rings were arranged so precisely. For this purpose, they ran a series of simulations using modified code that was originally designed to understand Saturn’s rings, and changed various parameters to try to simulate the Chariclo system.
In the study, which was published in the Journal of Planetary Sciences, scientists concluded that a small moon with a diameter of only one kilometer can maintain thin rings similar to those around Chariklo, and contribute to their formation and maintain a gap between them in a manner similar to the shepherd moons of Saturn. It seems that the existence of such a moon is necessary.
Sicaphos explained that the natural rings of planets tend to spread out or disperse over time, but Chariclo displays two very thin rings, and to keep them this thin, there must be a mechanism that confines the matter and prevents it from dispersing. The simulation showed that the presence of a small moon contributes to confining the rings to a specific width.
It is worth noting that the two rings are located near the Roche limit, which is the critical distance at which the rings are supposed to begin to assemble under the influence of gravity to form moons. However, the minimoon can keep the ring turbulent enough to remain a ring, strengthening the minimoon hypothesis.
It is also reported that because of Chariclo’s small size and distance, as well as the small size of any potential moon, scientists will not be able to obtain images of this moon without sending a mission to approach it. There may also be indirect ways to detect the presence of a moon orbiting Chariclo by observing its rings. It is also still unclear what exactly the rings consist of. Ice likely makes up a large portion of it, but the size of the particles and how they interact are still unknown. Understanding these details will help reveal the processes occurring with this fascinating space object.
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