Orbits of Potential Pluto Satellites and Rings Between Charon and Hydra

TL;DR

This study investigates potential stable regions for additional Pluto satellites and rings between Charon and Hydra, providing dynamical constraints and identifying stable orbital zones and coorbital configurations.

Contribution

It identifies stable orbital regions and coorbital configurations for potential new satellites around Pluto, and constrains the masses of known satellites based on dynamical analysis.

Findings

Stable regions exist interior of Styx and between Nix and Kerberos.

Coorbital orbits of known satellites are stable at high inclinations.

Mass constraints for undiscovered satellites are derived.

Abstract

Pluto and its five known satellites form a complex dynamic system. Here we explore where additional satellites could exist exterior to Charon (the innermost moon) but interior of Hydra (the outermost). We also provide dynamical constraints for the masses of the known satellites. We show that there are significant stable regions interior of Styx and between Nix and Kerberos. In addition, we show that coorbitals of the known small satellites are stable, even at high inclinations, and discuss mass constraints on undiscovered satellites in such orbits.