Statistics – Methodology
Scientific paper
Jul 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dda....38.0901f&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DDA meeting #38, #9.01
Statistics
Methodology
Scientific paper
We present details behind recently published results from our examination of binary NEA 1999 KW4, and make extensions applicable to a class of similar binary systems. We found earlier from full-detail numerical simulations of the coupled rotational and orbital dynamics of KW4's components that it likely exists in an excited state, having complex motions matching four dynamic modes of different periods. These are commensurate with Alpha's 2.76 hour spin period, the 17.4 hour orbital period, a 188 hour period, and the 90 day period of orbit and Alpha angular momentum precession. Beta is synchronous on average, but motion in the shortest period modes causes dramatic libration of Beta at some epochs and minimal libration at others. We briefly describe the methodology we use for our numerical simulations, and its implementation both to obtain the above results and to incorporate a third body's perturbing effects during a flyby or perihelion passage, the most likely source of excitation for all modes. We describe the KW4 system itself and our approach to parametrically varying certain observationally unconstrained quantities to discover both relaxed and excited states for that system. We present results of high fidelity simulations of perihelion passages of KW4, and find that solar gravity perturbation during such passages excites the longest period dynamic mode as expected, while results are less clear for excitation of shorter period modes. Finally, we develop analytical formulae to yield mean rates of change in mutual orbit elements and spin axis orientation angles as the excited KW4 system, or any other system meeting the same underlying assumptions, evolves in time. We compare the analytical rates from our formulae to those observed in our prior numerical simulations of KW4, and observe excellent agreement in most cases, concluding that our approach is valid for quick characterization of other binary systems.
Fahnestock Eugene G.
Scheeres Daniel J.
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