Statistics
Scientific paper
Sep 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008dps....40.4604p&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, #46.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 40, p.481
Statistics
Scientific paper
We have investigated three-body capture as a means to explain the origin of the irregular satellite population. In this process, tidal disruption of small binaries causes the binding energy of the pair to be distributed between the separated components. Depending on the incoming speed and the orbital phase upon disruption, this can leave one component traveling slower than the planet's escape speed. Thus, a previously unbound interloper can be captured almost instantaneously. However, the post-capture orbits are highly extended, and a weak gas drag is needed to shrink them to today's orbits. Therefore, this method is only viable while there is still some gas present in the planet's Hill sphere.
We use numerical integrations to compare the capture rate of binaries with that of single bodies, which can temporarily capture if they approach on very low-speed trajectories. We have examined the effects of factors such as binary mass, separation, and mass ratio; Jacobi constant; and planetary eccentricity. We find that binaries offer significantly improved capture statistics over single objects only when considering pairs of 100-km-and-larger components with very low-energy incoming orbits and favorable separations. A few such captures, however, can produce many irregular satellites in the collisions that formed the known families. In order to estimate the prevalence of these binaries, we have undertaken a study of typical encounter orbits from nearby populations. In particular, the early asteroid belt was a rich source, as its mass was depleted by a factor of 1000 in the first few hundred Myr of Solar System history. We also examine the survivability of the newly captured satellites and find that around three-quarters of captures from binaries have Callisto-crossing orbits. We conclude that 100-km captures are rare events, but that only several are needed to explain a planet's irregular satellites.
Agnor Craig Bruce
Hamilton Douglas P.
Philpott Catherine
No associations
LandOfFree
Three-Body Capture of Irregular Satellites: Singles vs. Binaries does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Three-Body Capture of Irregular Satellites: Singles vs. Binaries, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Three-Body Capture of Irregular Satellites: Singles vs. Binaries will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1439130