Study of resonant effects on the stability of asteroids satellites

• Grant number: 08/00953-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2008
• End date: December 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Solar System Astronomy
• Principal Investigator: Othon Cabo Winter
• Grantee: Luiz Augusto Guimarães Boldrin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEG). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Guaratinguetá. Guaratinguetá , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 06/04997-6 - Close approach problems in orbital dynamics, AP.TEM

Abstract

From the second half of 2006, the studentship candidate started to study the triple system Sylvia-Rômulo-Remo. The results showed that it is necessary to include the oblateness of Sylvia in order to stabilize the satellites. In the simulations for the 5-body problem without J2, it was verified that after more than 1.3 million orbital periods the satellites colided with Sylvia. The orbital evolution showed an increase of the eccentricity as a function of the high inclination, what caracterizes the behaviour of the Kozai resonance. We also noted that effects of coupling generated amplifications of the disturbancies. What indicate that probable resonant effects, as secular resonances and, in particular, the evection resonance type. So, the comprehension of resonant effects are very relevant on the study of the dynamics of thes kind of systems. Therefore, we consider to be important that the student dedicate himself to learn these phenomena. The main goals of the scientific initiation project involve the following aspects. a) to learn the development of the disturbing function and the identification of the resonant terms; b) to get familiar with the basic concepts involving the effects of the resonance types related to the present problem. The metodology to be addopted is based on an analytical approach, where the student will develop the disturbing function, identify the resonant terms and study the effects of some of these resonances. That will imply on learning classical resonance models, found in the literature, for each type of resonance.