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

TL;DR

This paper investigates how chaotic dust grain dynamics around Uranus, influenced by radiation and planetary forces, may explain the observed hemispherical color differences on its outer satellites.

Contribution

It introduces a model of dust dynamics considering chaotic eccentricity oscillations and links it to satellite surface asymmetries, a novel explanation for observed phenomena.

Findings

Dust collision probabilities with satellites are significant.

Chaotic dust dynamics can cause hemispherical surface asymmetries.

The model aligns with observed color differences on Uranian satellites.

Abstract

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 proba- bilities 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.