• DOI:10.1038/nature14469
Corpus ID: 205243819

Resonant interactions and chaotic rotation of Pluto’s small moons

@article{Showalter2015ResonantIA,
  title={Resonant interactions and chaotic rotation of Pluto’s small moons},
  author={M. Showalter and D. Hamilton},
  journal={Nature},
  year={2015},
  volume={522},
  pages={45-49}
}

M. Showalter, D. Hamilton

Published 2015

Physics, Medicine

Nature

Four small moons—Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra—follow near-circular, near-equatorial orbits around the central ‘binary planet’ comprising Pluto and its large moon, Charon. New observational details of the system have emerged following the discoveries of Kerberos and Styx. Here we report that Styx, Nix and Hydra are tied together by a three-body resonance, which is reminiscent of the Laplace resonance linking Jupiter’s moons Io, Europa and Ganymede. Perturbations by the other bodies, however… CONTINUE READING

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