| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Moura, T. S.
[1]
;
Winter, O. C.
[1]
;
Amarante, A.
[2]
;
Sfair, R.
[1]
;
Borderes-Motta, G.
[3]
;
Valvano, G.
[1]
Total Authors: 6
|
| Affiliation: | [1] Sao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, Grp Dinam Orbital & Planetol, BR-12516410 Guaratingueta, SP - Brazil
[2] Inst Fed Educ Ciencia & Tecnol Sao Paulo IFSP, Lab Maxwell, BR-11533160 Cubatao, SP - Brazil
[3] Univ Carlos III Madrid, Bioengn & Aerosp Engn Dept, Madrid 28911 - Spain
Total Affiliations: 3
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; v. 491, n. 3, p. 3120-3136, JAN 2020. |
| Web of Science Citations: | 0 |
| Abstract | |
Radar observations show that (16) Psyche is one of the largest and most massive asteroids of the M-class located in the main belt, with a diameter of approximately 230 km. This fact makes Psyche a unique object since observations indicated an iron-nickel composition. It is believed that this body may be what was left of a metal core of an early planet that would have been fragmented over millions of years due to violent collisions. In this work, we study a variety of dynamical aspects related to the surface, as well as, the environment around this asteroid. We use computational tools to explore the gravitational field generated by this body, assuming constant values for its density and rotation period. We then determine a set of physical and dynamical characteristics over its entire surface. The results include the geometric altitude, geopotential altitude, tilt, slope, among others. We also explore the neighborhood around the asteroid (16) Psyche, so that the location and linear stability of the equilibrium points were found. We found four external equilibrium points, two of them linearly stable. We confirmed the stability of these points by performing numerical simulations of massless particles around the asteroid, which also showed an asymmetry in the size of the stable regions. In addition, we integrate a cloud of particles in the vicinity of (16) Psyche in order to verify in which regions of its surface the particles are most likely to collide. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 16/24561-0 - On the relevance of small bodies in orbital dynamics |
| Grantee: | Othon Cabo Winter |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Projects - Thematic Grants |