Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Apr 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011dda....42.0602f&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DDA meeting #42, #6.02; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
We have explored the stability of the inner Uranian satellites using simulations based on the most recent observational data. We find that, across a wide range of mass assumptions, the system is chaotic, resulting in the eventual crossing of orbits. Cupid and Belinda are usually the first satellites to cross orbits, and they do so on a time scale of 105-106 years. This is two orders of magnitude sooner than the first crossing times found by Duncan & Lissauer (1997, Icarus, 125, 1-12). We show that both our higher assumed masses, based on updated observational data, and the presence of Cupid in the system decrease the stability. We also show that the power law discovered by Duncan & Lissauer, with which the orbit crossing time can be predicted using multiple, shorter simulations with higher mass assumptions, is valid across a wide range of models and can be used to increase the accuracy of determining the orbital crossing time. Finally, we show that Cupid's instability is related to the inner Lindblad resonances of Belinda.
French Robert S.
Showalter Robert M.
No associations
LandOfFree
Cupid is Doomed: An Analysis of the Stability of the Inner Uranian Satellites 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 Cupid is Doomed: An Analysis of the Stability of the Inner Uranian Satellites, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cupid is Doomed: An Analysis of the Stability of the Inner Uranian Satellites will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-763750