The stability of Trojan type orbits around Neptune is studied. As the first part of our investigation, we present in this paper a global view of the stability of Trojans on inclined orbits. Using the frequency analysis method based on the fast Fourier transform technique, we construct high-resolution dynamical maps on the plane of initial semimajor axis a 0 versus inclination i 0 . These maps show three most stable regions, with i 0 in the range of (0 • , 12 • ), (22 • , 36 • ) and (51 • , 59 • ), respectively, where the Trojans are most probably expected to be found. The similarity between the maps for the leading and trailing triangular Lagrange points L 4 and L 5 confirms the dynamical symmetry between these two points. By computing the power spectrum and the proper frequencies of the Trojan motion, we figure out the mechanisms that trigger chaos in the motion. The Kozai resonance found at high inclination varies the eccentricity and inclination of orbits, while the ν 8 secular resonance around i 0 ∼ 44 • pumps up the eccentricity. Both mechanisms lead to eccentric orbits and encounters with Uranus that introduce strong perturbation and drive the objects away from the Trojan like orbits. This explains the clearance of Trojan at high inclination (>60 • ) and an unstable gap around 44 • on the dynamical map. An empirical theory is derived from the numerical results, with which the main secular resonances are located on the initial plane of (a 0 , i 0 ). The fine structures in the dynamical maps can be explained by these secular resonances.
The only discovery of Earth Trojan 2010 TK7 and the subsequent launch of OSIRIS-REx motive us to investigate the stability around the triangular Lagrange points L4 and L5 of the Earth. In this paper we present detailed dynamical maps on the (a0, i0) plane with the spectral number (SN) indicating the stability. Two main stability regions, separated by a chaotic region arising from the ν3 and ν4 secular resonances, are found at low (i0 ≤ 15 • ) and moderate (24 • ≤ i0 ≤ 37 • ) inclinations respectively. The most stable orbits reside below i0 = 10 • and they can survive the age of the Solar System. The nodal secular resonance ν13 could vary the inclinations from 0 • to ∼ 10 • according to their initial values while ν14 could pump up the inclinations to ∼ 20 • and upwards. The fine structures in the dynamical maps are related to higher-degree secular resonances, of which different types dominate different areas. The dynamical behaviour of the tadpole and horseshoe orbits, reflected in their secular precession, show great differences in the frequency space. The secular resonances involving the tadpole orbits are more sensitive to the frequency drift of the inner planets, thus the instabilities could sweep across the phase space, leading to the clearance of tadpole orbits. We are more likely to find terrestrial companions on horseshoe orbits. The Yarkovsky effect could destabilize Earth Trojans in varying degrees. We numerically obtain the formula describing the stabilities affected by the Yarkovsky effect and find the asymmetry between the prograde and retrograde rotating Earth Trojans. The existence of small primordial Earth Trojans that avoid being detected but survive the Yarkovsky effect for 4.5 Gyr is substantially ruled out.
The first Earth Trojan has been observed and found to be on an interesting orbit close to the Lagrange point L4. In the present study, we therefore perform a detailed investigation of the stability of its orbit and moreover extend the study to give an idea of the probability of finding additional Earth Trojans. Our results are derived using three different approaches. In the first, we derive an analytical mapping in the spatial elliptic restricted three-body problem to find the phase space structure of the dynamical problem. We then explore the stability of the asteroid in the context of the phase space geometry, including the indirect influence of the additional planets of our Solar system. In the second approach, we use precise numerical methods to integrate the orbit forward and backward in time in different dynamical models. On the basis of a set of 400 clone orbits, we derive the probability of capture and escape of the Earth Trojan asteroid 2010 TK7. To this end, in the third approach we perform an extensive numerical investigation of the stability region of the Earth's Lagrangian points. We present a detailed parameter study of possible stable tadpole and horseshoe orbits of additional Earth Trojans, i.e. with respect to the semi-major axes and inclinations of thousands of fictitious Trojans. All three approaches lead to the conclusion that the Earth Trojan asteroid 2010 TK7 finds itself in an unstable region on the edge of a stable zone; additional Earth Trojan asteroids may be found in this regime of stability.
The area of stable motion for fictitious Trojan asteroids around Uranus' equilateral equilibrium points is investigated with respect to the inclination of the asteroid's orbit to determine the size of the regions and their shape. For this task we used the results of extensive numerical integrations of orbits for a grid of initial conditions around the points L4 and L5, and analyzed the stability of the individual orbits. Our basic dynamical model was the Outer Solar System (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune). We integrated the equations of motion of fictitious Trojans in the vicinity of the stable equilibrium points for selected orbits up to the age of the Solar system of 5 billion years. One experiment has been undertaken for cuts through the Lagrange points for fixed values of the inclinations, while the semimajor axes were varied. The extension of the stable region with respect to the initial semimajor axis lies between 19.05 < a < 19.3 AU but depends on the initial inclination. In another run the inclination of the asteroids' orbit was varied in the range 0 < i < 60 and the semimajor axes were fixed. It turned out that only four 'windows' of stable orbits survive: these are the orbits for the initial inclinations 0 < i < 7, 9 < i < 13, 31 < i < 36 and 38 < i < 50. We postulate the existence of at least some Trojans around the Uranus Lagrange points for the stability window at small and also high inclinations.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, submitted to CMD
The inner two planets around 55 Cancri were found to be trapped in a 3 : 1 mean motion resonance (MMR). In this paper, we study the dynamics of this extrasolar planetary system. Our numerical investigation confirms the existence of the 3 : 1 resonance and implies a complex orbital motion. Different stable motion types, with and without apsidal corotation, are found. Owing to the high eccentricities in this system, we apply a semi-analytical method based on a new expansion of the Hamiltonian of the planar three-body problem in the discussion. We analyse the occurrence of apsidal corotation in this MMR and its influence on the stability of the system.
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