A dynamical context for the origin of Phobos and Deimos

Abstract

We show that a model in which Mars grows near Earth and Venus but is then scattered out of the terrestrial region yields a natural pathway to explain the low masses of the Martian moons Phobos & Deimos. In this scenario, the last giant impact experienced by Mars is followed by an extended period (tens to hundreds of Myr) of close passages by other planetary embryos. These close passages perturb and dynamically heat any system of forming satellites left over by the giant impact and can substantially reduce the mass in the satellite system (sometimes to zero). The close passage of massive perturbing bodies also offers the opportunity to capture small objects by three-body scattering. Both mechanisms lead to low mass moon systems with a substantially collisional history.

arXiv comment16 pages, 10 figures, MNRAS in press

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• The Sands of Phobos: The Martian moon's eccentric orbit refreshes its surface
• Exploring the recycling model of Phobos formation: rubble-pile satellites
• Phobos photometric properties from Mars Express HRSC observations
• Using Mars co-orbitals to estimate the importance of rotation-induced YORP break-up events in Earth co-orbital space
• Initial conditions for tidal synchronisation of a planet by its moon