"Kiss and capture": New hypothesis on the formation of Pluto and Charon
Until now, it was assumed that Pluto and Charon were formed after a violent collision. However, they may have found each other much more gently.
Collage of Charon (above) behind Pluto
(Image: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI)
The dwarf planet Pluto and its unusually large moon Charon probably did not form their current bond as a result of an explosive collision, but through a much gentler process. At least that is the opinion of a research team led by planetologist Adeene Denton from the University of Arizona. The group now calls the proposed formation process “kiss and capture”, whereas previously preferred scenarios could be summarized as “hit-and-run”. However, these explanations ignore the structural integrity of rock and ice.
Explanation would answer further questions
As the research group explains, it had previously been assumed that Charon was formed in roughly the same way as our moon: as part of a massive collision between a celestial body and the Earth, as a result of which the two deformed like liquids before separating directly. However, Pluto and Charon are much colder and consist mainly of rock and ice, the team explains. When these properties were included in simulations, “we discovered something completely unexpected,” adds Denton. Pluto and Proto-Charon would instead touch each other gently and orbit each other like a kind of snowman for a while before separating again.
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At the end of the simulations, there was a double system that was very similar to the actual one, the university writes. However, if this formation history is confirmed, it would also mean that both celestial bodies have remained largely intact. This would not have been possible in the event of a collision. The new hypothesis could also explain the origin of the heat that caused an ocean to form beneath the surface of Pluto. Finally, the proposed snowman shape is also reminiscent of several objects in the solar system that have been discovered recently and look exactly like this. The new explanation is now presented in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience.
(mho)
