Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System
Previous studies of cometary impacts in the outer solar system used the spatial distribution of ecliptic comets (ECs) from dynamical models that assumed ECs began on low-inclination orbits (≲5°) in the Kuiper Belt. In reality, the source population of ECs—the trans-Neptunian scattered disk—has orbit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Planetary Science Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace8ff |
| _version_ | 1797327971321643008 |
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| author | David Nesvorný Luke Dones Mario De Prá Maria Womack Kevin J. Zahnle |
| author_facet | David Nesvorný Luke Dones Mario De Prá Maria Womack Kevin J. Zahnle |
| author_sort | David Nesvorný |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies of cometary impacts in the outer solar system used the spatial distribution of ecliptic comets (ECs) from dynamical models that assumed ECs began on low-inclination orbits (≲5°) in the Kuiper Belt. In reality, the source population of ECs—the trans-Neptunian scattered disk—has orbital inclinations reaching up to ∼30°. In Nesvorný et al., we developed a new dynamical model of ECs by following comets as they evolved from the scattered disk to the inner solar system. The model was absolutely calibrated from the population of Centaurs and active ECs. Here we use our EC model to determine the steady-state impact flux of cometary/Centaur impactors on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and their moons. Relative to previous work, we find slightly higher impact probabilities on the outer moons and lower impact probabilities on the inner moons. The impact probabilities are smaller when comet disruption is accounted for. The results provide a modern framework for the interpretation of the cratering record in the outer solar system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:44:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9c3e84008bb24ff08630fa19580fd7b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2632-3338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T06:44:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Planetary Science Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-9c3e84008bb24ff08630fa19580fd7b42024-02-03T08:12:46ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382023-01-014813910.3847/PSJ/ace8ffImpact Rates in the Outer Solar SystemDavid Nesvorný0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4547-4301Luke Dones1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8573-7412Mario De Prá2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8746-6468Maria Womack3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4659-8653Kevin J. Zahnle4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2462-4358Department of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute , 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302, USADepartment of Space Studies, Southwest Research Institute , 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302, USAFlorida Space Institute, University of Central Florida , 12354 Research Parkway, Partnership 1 Building, Suite 214, Orlando, FL 32826-0650, USANational Science Foundation , 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA; Department of Physics, University of Central Florida , 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Building 12, 310, Orlando, FL 32816, USANASA Ames Research Center , MS 245-3, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USAPrevious studies of cometary impacts in the outer solar system used the spatial distribution of ecliptic comets (ECs) from dynamical models that assumed ECs began on low-inclination orbits (≲5°) in the Kuiper Belt. In reality, the source population of ECs—the trans-Neptunian scattered disk—has orbital inclinations reaching up to ∼30°. In Nesvorný et al., we developed a new dynamical model of ECs by following comets as they evolved from the scattered disk to the inner solar system. The model was absolutely calibrated from the population of Centaurs and active ECs. Here we use our EC model to determine the steady-state impact flux of cometary/Centaur impactors on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and their moons. Relative to previous work, we find slightly higher impact probabilities on the outer moons and lower impact probabilities on the inner moons. The impact probabilities are smaller when comet disruption is accounted for. The results provide a modern framework for the interpretation of the cratering record in the outer solar system.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace8ffComet dynamicsComet originsNatural satellite evolutionIrregular satellitesNatural satellite surfacesImpact phenomena |
| spellingShingle | David Nesvorný Luke Dones Mario De Prá Maria Womack Kevin J. Zahnle Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System The Planetary Science Journal Comet dynamics Comet origins Natural satellite evolution Irregular satellites Natural satellite surfaces Impact phenomena |
| title | Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System |
| title_full | Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System |
| title_fullStr | Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System |
| title_short | Impact Rates in the Outer Solar System |
| title_sort | impact rates in the outer solar system |
| topic | Comet dynamics Comet origins Natural satellite evolution Irregular satellites Natural satellite surfaces Impact phenomena |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace8ff |
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