An Integrated Review of Pluto-Charon Binary Syatem

Abstract

The Pluto-Charon binary system is a significant celestial configuration in the Kuiper belt, it is the first Kuiper-belt binary to be discovered. The study of the Pluto-Charon binary system is helpful for the understanding of planetary formation and evolution and Kuipe-belt objects. The surface feature of the binary and the evolution of the system related to the Sun or its satellites and rings have been hot in research on the Pluto-Charon system. For example, most study hold a view that the Pluto-Charon binary was formed by a giant impact. However, the internal structure and formation remain partly unexplored. This review paper compiles literature on the physical properties, formation, and basic dynamics of the Pluto-Charon system. Observational data from the New Horizons mission has advanced the understanding of the system, the review overviewed the characteristics of the Pluto-Charon binary system from the observation and analysis in the current research, such as the surface material of the two bodies. The paper also added a basic introduction to the binary system.