scholarly journals Dynamical evolution of the main asteroid belt in the primordial solar system

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Αθανασία Τόλιου

Τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες η κατανόησή μας για την εξέλιξη του Ηλιακού Συστήματος έχει βελτιωθεί σε μεγάλο βαθμό. Οι πάλαι ποτέ θεωρούμενες «στατικές» τροχιές των γιγάντων πλανητών, πιστεύουμε πλέον πως είναι αποτέλεσμα ενός βίαιου παρελθόντος, το οποίο επηρέασε και το υπόλοιπο Ηλιακό Σύστημα. Οι ελάσσονες πλανήτες, συγκεντρωμένοι σε πληθυσμούς όπως η Κυρια Ζώνη των Αστεροειδών, η ζώνη του Κάιπερ και το νέφος του Όορτ αποτελούν αξιόπιστα μέσα για την εξερεύνηση αυτού του εξελικτικού μονοπατιού. Θεωρώντας την «Αστάθεια των Γιγάνων Πλανητών» ως ένα ορόσημο στην ιστορία του Ηλιακού Συστήματος, χαρακτηρίζουμε ως «πρώιμη» την δομή της κύριας ζώνης των αστεροειδών που προϋπάρχει αυτού του γεγονότος. Η παρούσα εργασία εστιάζει στην εξέλιξη της πρώιμης ζώνης των αστεροειδών κατά τα πρώτα στάδια της ζωής του Ηλιακού Συστήματος, ξεκινώντας πριν απο τη διάλυση του πρωτοπλανητικού δίσκου αερίου και εκτείνεται μέχρι τη δημιουργία των γήινων πλανητών. Είναι ευρέως αποδεκτό οτι ένας αρχικά «επίπεδος» δίσκος αστεροειδών, κινούμενων σε σχεδόν κυκλικές και συνεπίπεδες τροχιές δεν μπορεί να εξελιχθεί στην σημερινή παρατηρήσιμη κατανομή εαν οι γίγαντες πλανήτες ακολουθούσαν για πάντα τις ίδιες αναλλοίωτες τροχιές. Συνεπώς η Κύρια Ζώνη των Αστεροειδών πρέπει να είχε υποστεί απώλεια μάζας και διέγερση στις κλίσεις και εκκεντρότητες των τροχιών, πριν οι πλανήτες φθάσουν στην τελική τους θέση. Στο μοντέλο ελέλιξης του πρώιμου Ηλιακού Συστήματος που κατασκευάσαμε, θεωρήσαμε το Δία και τον Κρόνο παγιδευμένους σε συντονισμό μέσης κίνησης, οι οποίοι αλληλεπιδρούν βαρυτικά με έναν αρχικά επίπεδο δίσκο αστεροειδών και έναν πληθυσμό πλανητικών εμβρύων με μάζες ίσες με του Άρη. Ταυτόχρονα το όλο σύστημα βρίσκεται στο βαρυτικό πεδίο του συνεχώς εξαντλούμενου δίσκου αερίου. Ο δίσκος αυτός μεταβάλλει με το χρόνο το ρυθμό μετάπτωσης του μήκους του αναβιβάζοντος συνδέσμου και του μήκους του περιηλίου των τροχιών όλων των σωμάτων που κινούνται μέσα σε αυτόν. Αυτό οδηγεί στην εμφάνιση αιώνιων συντονισμών οι οποίοι σαρώνουν ολόκληρη ή μέρη της Κύριας Ζώνης καθώς ο δίσκος διαλύεται. Η συνέργεια όλων αυτών των μηχανισμών μπορεί κάτω απο συγκεκριμένες συνθήκες, όπως φανερώνουν τα αποτελέσματά μας, να εξηγήσει την πρώιμη κατανομή της Κύριας Ζώνης των αστεροειδών, όπως επίσης την κατανομή της μάζας και των τροχιών των γήινων πλανητών.

2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (1) ◽  
pp. L46-L49 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Morbidelli ◽  
K Batygin ◽  
R Brasser ◽  
S N Raymond

ABSTRACT In two recent papers published in MNRAS, Namouni and Morais claimed evidence for the interstellar origin of some small Solar system bodies, including: (i) objects in retrograde co-orbital motion with the giant planets and (ii) the highly inclined Centaurs. Here, we discuss the flaws of those papers that invalidate the authors’ conclusions. Numerical simulations backwards in time are not representative of the past evolution of real bodies. Instead, these simulations are only useful as a means to quantify the short dynamical lifetime of the considered bodies and the fast decay of their population. In light of this fast decay, if the observed bodies were the survivors of populations of objects captured from interstellar space in the early Solar system, these populations should have been implausibly large (e.g. about 10 times the current main asteroid belt population for the retrograde co-orbital of Jupiter). More likely, the observed objects are just transient members of a population that is maintained in quasi-steady state by a continuous flux of objects from some parent reservoir in the distant Solar system. We identify in the Halley-type comets and the Oort cloud the most likely sources of retrograde co-orbitals and highly inclined Centaurs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (S318) ◽  
pp. 9-15
Author(s):  
Gal Sarid ◽  
Sarah T. Stewart ◽  
Zoë M. Leinhardt

AbstractErosive collisions among planetary embryos in the inner solar system can lead to multiple remnant bodies, varied in mass, composition and residual velocity. Some of the smaller, unbound debris may become available to seed the main asteroid belt. The makeup of these collisionally produced bodies is different from the canonical chondritic composition, in terms of rock/iron ratio and may contain further shock-processed material. Having some of the material in the asteroid belt owe its origin from collisions of larger planetary bodies may help in explaining some of the diversity and oddities in composition of different asteroid groups.


2021 ◽  
Vol 922 (1) ◽  
pp. L8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Orion Chandler ◽  
Chadwick A. Trujillo ◽  
Henry H. Hsieh

Abstract We present archival observations of main-belt asteroid (248370) 2005 QN173 (also designated 433P) that demonstrate this recently discovered active asteroid (a body with a dynamically asteroidal orbit displaying a tail or coma) has had at least one additional apparition of activity near perihelion during a prior orbit. We discovered evidence of this second activity epoch in an image captured 2016 July 22 with the DECam on the 4 m Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. As of this writing, (248370) 2005 QN173 is just the eighth active asteroid demonstrated to undergo recurrent activity near perihelion. Our analyses demonstrate (248370) 2005 QN173 is likely a member of the active asteroid subset known as main-belt comets, a group of objects that orbit in the main asteroid belt that exhibit activity that is specifically driven by sublimation. We implement an activity detection technique, wedge photometry, that has the potential to detect tails in images of solar system objects and quantify their agreement with computed antisolar and antimotion vectors normally associated with observed tail directions. We present a catalog and an image gallery of archival observations. The object will soon become unobservable as it passes behind the Sun as seen from Earth, and when it again becomes visible (late 2022) it will be farther than 3 au from the Sun. Our findings suggest (248370) 2005 QN173 is most active interior to 2.7 au (0.3 au from perihelion), so we encourage the community to observe and study this special object before 2021 December.


1992 ◽  
Vol 152 ◽  
pp. 123-132
Author(s):  
Ch Froeschle ◽  
P. Farinella ◽  
C. Froeschle ◽  
Z. Knežević ◽  
A. Milani

Generalizing the secular perturbation theory of Milani and Knežević (1990), we have determined in the a — e — I proper elements space the locations of the secular resonances between the precession rates of the longitudes of perihelion and node of a small body and the corresponding eigenfrequencies of the secular perturbations of the four outer planets. We discuss some implications of the results for the dynamical evolution of small solar system bodies. In particular, our findings include: (i) the fact that the g = g6 resonance in the inner asteroid belt lies closer than previously assumed to the Flora region, providing a plausible dynamical route to inject asteroid fragments into planet-crossing orbits; (ii) the possible presence of some low-inclination “stable islands” between the orbits of the outer planets; (iii) the fact that none of the secular resonances considered in this work exists for semimajor axes > 50 AU, so that these resonances do not provide a mechanism for transporting inwards possible Kuiper–belt comets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy O’Brien ◽  
John A. Tarduno ◽  
Atma Anand ◽  
Aleksey V. Smirnov ◽  
Eric G. Blackman ◽  
...  

AbstractMeteorite magnetizations can provide rare insight into early Solar System evolution. Such data take on new importance with recognition of the isotopic dichotomy between non-carbonaceous and carbonaceous meteorites, representing distinct inner and outer disk reservoirs, and the likelihood that parent body asteroids were once separated by Jupiter and subsequently mixed. The arrival time of these parent bodies into the main asteroid belt, however, has heretofore been unknown. Herein, we show that weak CV (Vigarano type) and CM (Mighei type) carbonaceous chondrite remanent magnetizations indicate acquisition by the solar wind 4.2 to 4.8 million years after Ca-Al-rich inclusion (CAI) formation at heliocentric distances of ~2–4 AU. These data thus indicate that the CV and CM parent asteroids had arrived near, or within, the orbital range of the present-day asteroid belt from the outer disk isotopic reservoir within the first 5 million years of Solar System history.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athanasia Toliou ◽  
Mikael Granvik

<p><span>An apparent discrepancy between the number of observed near-Earth objects (NEOs) with small perihelion distances (q) and the number of objects that models <br />predict, has led to the conclusion that asteroids get destroyed at non-trivial distances from the Sun. Consequently, there must be a, possibly thermal, <br />mechanism at play, responsible for breaking up asteroids asteroids in such orbits.<br /><br />We studied the dynamical evolution of ficticious NEOs whose perihelion distance reaches below the average disruption distance q_dis=0.076 au, as suggested by <br />Granvik et al. (2016). To that end, we used the orbital integrations of objects that escaped from the main asteroid belt (Granvik et al. 2017), and entered the <br />near-Earth region (Granvik et al. 2018). First, we investigated a variety of mechanisms that can lower the perihelion distance of an object to a small-enough <br />value. In particular, we considered mean-motion resonances with Jupiter, secular resonances with Jupiter and Saturn (v_5 and v_6) and also the Kozai resonance.<br /><br />We developed a code that calculates the evolution of the critical argument of all the relevant resonances and identifies librations during the last stages of <br />an object's orbital evolution, namely, just before q=q_dis. Any subsequent evolution of the object was disregarded, since we considered it disrupted. The <br />accuracy of our model is ~96%.<br /><br />In addition, we measured the dynamical 'lifetimes' of NEOs when they orbit the innermost parts of the inner Solar System. More precisely, we calculated the <br />total time it takes for the q of each object to go from 0.4 au to q_dis (τ_lq). The outer limit of this range was chosen such because it is a) the approximate <br />semimajor axis of Mercury, and b) an absence of sub-meter-sized boulders with q smaller than this distance has been proposed by Wiegert et al (2020). Combining <br />this measure with the recorded resonances, we can get a sense of the timescale of each q-lowering mechanism.<br /><br />Next, for a more rigorous study of the evolution of the NEOs with q<0.4 au, we divided this region in bins and measured the relevant time they spend at <br />different distances from the Sun. Together with the total time spent in each bin, we kept track of the number of times that q entered one of the bins. <br />Finally, we computed the actual time each object spends in each bin during its evolution, i.e., the total time it spends in a specific range in radial <br />heliocentric distance.<br /><br />By following this approach, we derived categories of typical evolutions of NEOs that reach the average disruption distance. In addition, since we have the <br />information concerning the escape route from the main asteroid belt followed by each NEO, we linked the q-lowering mechanism and the associated orbital <br />evolutions in the range below the orbit of Mercury, to their source regions and thus were able to draw conclusions abour their physical properties.</span></p>


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (S318) ◽  
pp. 99-110
Author(s):  
Henry H. Hsieh

AbstractOur knowledge of main-belt comets (MBCs), which exhibit comet-like activity likely due to the sublimation of volatile ices, yet orbit in the main asteroid belt, has increased greatly since the discovery of the first known MBC, 133P/Elst-Pizarro, in 1996, and their recognition as a new class of solar system objects after the discovery of two more MBCs in 2005. I review work that has been done over the last 10 years to improve our understanding of these enigmatic objects, including the development of systematic discovery methods and diagnostics for distinguishing MBCs from disrupted asteroids (which exhibit comet-like activity due to physical disruptions such as impacts or rotational destabilization). I also discuss efforts to understand the dynamical and thermal properties of these objects.


Eos ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Barbuzano

New observations confirm that main asteroid belt object Hygiea is round. It now fulfills all the requirements to graduate from asteroid to dwarf planet.


Author(s):  
Aaron R. Hurst

The supercharged nature of the Earth’s geothermal core can be demonstrated by three thought experiments exhibiting it is tremendously more powerful than any other terrestrial object in the solar system (planet or moon). Identifying a minimum of four byproduct asteroid blast patterns linked to the formation of Earth’s supercharged geothermal core is critical to properly identifying stars that also have these four byproduct asteroid blast patterns. These stars are the most likely to host an Earth-like planet qualified by having a supercharged geothermal core. The Planetary Vaporization-Event (PVE) Hypothesis provides a basis for correlation between the supercharged nature of Earth’s geothermal core and at least 14 listed side effects: (1) the asteroid-wide/planet-scale homogenization and lack thereof of 182W ε for Earth, the Moon, Mars and meteors, (2) the primary and secondary shifting of Earth’s tectonic plates, (3) the solar system wide displacement of Earth’s wayward moons (including Ceres, Pluto, Charon and Orcus) outgassing identical samples of ammoniated phyllosilicates, (4) the formation of asteroids at 100+ times the expected density of a nebular cloud vs. pre-solar grains formation density at the expected density of a nebular cloud, (5) three distinct formation timestamps for all known asteroids within a 5 million year window 4.55+ billion years ago, (6) the estimated formation temperature of CAI at 0.86 billion Kelvin and (7) the remaining chondritic meteorite matrix flash vaporizing at 1,200–1,900 °C, (8) followed by rapid freezing near 0 K, (9) the development of exactly 2 asteroid belts and a swarm of non-moon satellites, (10) particulate size distinction between the 2 asteroid belts of small/inner, large/outer, (11) the proximity of the Trojan Asteroid Groups to the Main Asteroid Belt, (12) observation of a past or present LHB, (13) the development of annual meteor showers for Earth proximal to apogee and/or perigee, (14) the Sun being the most-likely object struck by an asteroid in the inner solar system. Through better understanding of the relevant data at hand and reclassification of the byproducts of supercharging the core of a planet, at least 5 new insights can be inferred and are listed as: (1) the original mass, (2) distance and (3) speed of Earth Mark One, (4) the original order of Earth’s multi-moon formation and (5) the high probability of finding detectable signs of life on a planet orbiting the stars Epsilon Eridani and Eta Corvi. There are at least 6 popular hypothesis that the PVE Hypothesis is in conflict with, listed they are: (1) a giant impact forming the Moon, (2) asteroids being the building blocks of the solar system, (3) the Main Asteroid Belt being the result of a planet that never formed, (4) the LHB being a part of the accretion disk process, (5) the heat in Earth’s core coming primarily from the decay of radioactive elements, (6) the Oort Cloud being the source of ice comets.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kateryna Frantseva ◽  
Michael Mueller ◽  
Petr Pokorný ◽  
Floris F. S. van der Tak ◽  
Inge Loes ten Kate

<p>Are minor bodies and dust delivering volatile and/or refractory materials in exoplanetary systems?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Around ~20% of the nearest stars are found to host analogues of the main asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt. Our aim is to study the possibility of material delivery through minor bodies and dust to the planetary surfaces. To shed light on these delivery processes we extrapolate our Solar System scenarios to the exoplanetary system HR 8799. The system is known to host four giant planets and two belts of minor bodies.</p> <p>We performed a set of N-body simulations to study the impact rates of minor bodies and dust on the HR 8799 planets. We find that the planets suffer impacts by objects from the inner and outer belt. We convert these to volatile and refractory delivery rates using our best estimates of the total mass contained in the belts and their volatile/refractory content. Over their lifetime, the four giant planets receive between 10<sup>-4</sup> and 10<sup>-3 </sup>M<sub>Earth</sub> of material from both belts. This delivery leads to volatile and refractory enrichment of the planets that may be observable. Since the four giants HR 8799 e, d, c, b are located beyond the snow line (and presumably formed there), we expect them to be born volatile-rich. Therefore any future detection of refractories might imply delivery through impacts.</p>


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