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science1d ago
A 'lost planet' may have given Jupiter and Uranus their moons
- New simulations suggest our solar system briefly hosted an extra ice giant in its early history.
- That lost planet may have helped Jupiter and Uranus retain their moons during planetary migration.
- Researchers tested 122 possible early solar system configurations to study moon survival.
- Jupiter’s moons showed better survival in scenarios with two extra ice giants, while Uranus fared better with a single larger ice giant.
- The probability that both planets’ moons survive the same scenario is only about 1%.
- Two successful scenarios included one extra ice giant at the start, suggesting a lingering influence on planet dynamics.
- The study emphasizes that the Nice model simulations are stochastic and cannot perfectly recreate history.
- Researchers say the large-scale pattern points to a past planet that influenced moon orbits without destroying them.
- The paper detailing the findings was published in the journal Icarus and led by Clement and colleagues.
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