DUST TORUS AROUND MARS

We investigate the orbital dynamics of small dust particles generated via the continuous micrometeoroid bombardment of the Martian moons. In addition to Mars's oblateness, we also consider the radiation pressur e perturbation that is complicated by the planet's eccentric orbit and tilted rotational axis. Considering the production rates and the life times of dust grains, we show that particles from Deimos with radii of about 15 mu m are expected to dominate the population of a permanentl y present and tilted dust torus. This torus has an estimated peak numb er density of similar or equal to 5X10(-12) cm(-3) and an optical dept h of similar or equal to 4X10(-8).