Nekhoroshev stability estimates for different models of the Trojan asteroids

Abstract

Abstract.Estimates of the region of Nekhoroshev stability of Jupiter's Trojan asteroids are obtained by a direct (i.e. without use of the normal form) construction of formal integrals near the Lagrangian elliptic equilibrium points. Formal integrals are constructed in the Hamiltonian model of the planar circular restricted three body problem (PCRTBP), and in a mapping model (Sándor et al. 2002) of the same problem for small orbital eccentricities of the asteroids. The analytical estimates are based on the calculation of the size of the remainder of the formal series by a computer program. An analysis is made of the accumulation of small divisors in the series. The most important divisors introduce competing Fourier terms with sizes growing at similar rates as the order of truncation increases. This makes impossible to improve the estimates by considering nearly resonant forms of the formal integrals for particular near-resonances. Improved estimates were obtained in a mapping model of the PCRTBP. The main source of improvement is the use of better variables (Delaunay). Our best estimate represents a maximum libration amplitude D p = 10.60 . This is a quite realistic value which demonstrates the usefulness of Nekhoroshev theory.