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The impactor flux in the Pluto-Charon systemCurrent impact rates of comets on Pluto and Charon are estimated. It is shown that the dominant sources of impactors are comets from the Kuiper belt and the inner Oort cloud, each of whose perihelion distribution extends across Pluto's orbit. In contrast, long-period comets from the outer Oort cloud are a negligible source of impactors. The total predicted number of craters is not sufficient to saturate the surface areas of either Pluto of Charon over the age of the Solar System. However, heavy cratering may have occurred early in the Solar System's history during clearing of planetesimals from the outer planets' zone.
Document ID
19950058549
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Weissman, Paul R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab. California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA, United States)
Stern, S. Alan
(Southwest Research Inst. San Antonio, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: Icarus
Volume: 111
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
95A90148
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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