Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2007
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.3210m&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #32.10; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.475
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Three of Jupiter's large moons - Io, Europa, and Ganymede - are locked in an orbital configuration known as a Laplace resonance. This resonance strongly affects orbital eccentricities, allowing tides to flex the moons and power Io's volcanoes. We are currently studying the origin and evolution of this resonance, seeking to determine, for example: whether Io and Europa were trapped into resonance before Ganymede was involved, how long the Laplace resonance has been active, and the importance of three-body effects.
We begin by assuming Io evolved outward from a formation distance of 4-5 RJ (as constrained by Proctor et al., 2001) to capture Europa. We vary both the location of the 2:1 resonant encounter as well as the drag rate. Due to the satellites' high masses relative to the planet, the suite of 2:1 resonances all overlap, making the identification of individual resonant features challenging. Our initial simulations, in which Io and Europa start on uninclined, circular orbits, show that both bodies are captured into inclination resonances and do not escape. Given the very long timescale for damping inclinations, either i) additional resonances, perhaps with Ganymede and Callisto, or ii) different starting eccentricities and inclinations, perhaps from prior resonance passages, seem to be required.
Hamilton Douglas P.
McGleam Catherine
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