Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jul 1996
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996iraj...23..151h&link_type=abstract
Irish Astronomical Journal, 1996, 23(2), 151
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
3
Scientific paper
The problem of the origin of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), whether predominantly cometary or asteroidal, has attracted much recent interest. In this work, we consider NEOs to have perihelion distances q < 1.4 AU and separate them according to their aphelion distances into two broad classes: Class 1 NEOs have aphelia Q > 4.2 AU, allowing these objects possibly to have close approaches to Jupiter; whereas Class 2 objects have Q < 4.2 AU. The latter comprise the majority (about 90%) of the known NEO population and are dynamically `decoupled' from close Jovian encounters. This paper presents preliminary results from long-term numerical integrations of hypothetical Jupiter-family comets, which according to these definitions would, if inactive, be considered as Class 1 `cometary' NEOs, or `cometary asteroids'. In particular, we evaluate the transfer probabilities to Class 2 orbits, by both gravitational and non-gravitational mechanisms, and estimate the overall cometary contribution to the number of objects in Class 1 and Class 2. Our results are compared with estimates of the rate of injection of NEOs from the main asteroid belt.
Bailey Mark E.
Harris Nathan W.
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