Dynamics of Haumea's dust ring

TL;DR

This study numerically investigates the dust ring around Haumea, revealing how micron-sized grains' dynamics and spin-orbit resonances influence the ring's structure and variability.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed numerical model considering gravitational forces and radiation pressure to explain the ring's observed properties and dynamics.

Findings

Micron-sized grains form an eccentric, apse-aligned ring near the 3:1 resonance.

The ring's radial width varies during transit ingress and egress.

The apparent 3:1 resonance coincidence is independent of actual resonance effects.

Abstract

The particle dynamics of the recently observed ring around dwarf planet Haumea is numerically investigated. The point mass gravitational force, a second degree and order gravity field, and the solar radiation pressure as the main perturbations are considered. The quasi-stationary state of the ring varies for different micron-sized grains and depends also on the spin-orbit resonances between the rotation rate of the main body and the orbital period of the dust particles. The simulations confirm the variable radial width of the ring observed during the transit ingress and egress. Results show that the micron sized grains, initially on circular orbits, become eccentric and form an apse-aligned ring at the observed radial distance near to the 3:1 spin-orbit resonance. It is also demonstrated that this coincidence is only apparent and independent of 3:1 resonance.