2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
[PPS07-11] Stability of asteroidal ring systems through close encounters with small objects
Keywords:rings, dynamical evolution and stability
Only two small bodies, (10199) Chariklo and (136108) Haumea, are known to possess rings in the current solar system except for the giant planets (Braga-Ribas et al., 2014; Ortiz et al., 2017). It was announced that (2060) Chiron possibly has rings (Ortiz et al., 2015). We studied the stability of rings under close encounters with small objects in order to constrain the origin and long-term evolution.
Araujo et al. (2016, 2018) and Wood et al. (2018) studied the stability of asteroidal rings under close encounters with the giant planets. They indicated that the ring system is in most cases stable, which leads to an idea that asteroidal ring systems may be common if the formation mechanisms of these structures are efficient enough. Furthermore, Araujo et al. (2018) estimated the characteristics of small bodies that are likely to have ring systems. However, these close encounters with the giant planets are rare and they did not take close encounters with small bodies into account.
In this work, we particularly focused on the stability of asteroidal ring systems under close encounters with small bodies. In our calculations, we explored various mass and orbital elements of the passing body (hereafter referred to as the invader) to the ring plane. To achieve this, we adopted a restricted three-body equations of motion with fourth-order Runge-Kutta numerical integrations.
We found that the stability of rings strongly depends on the mass of the invader. Our results were consistent with previous studies (e.g., Toomre & Toomre, 1972; Rieder & Kenworthy, 2016): if the encounter occurred in a retrograde manner, the perturbation of rings was milder than in the prograde. In this presentation, we will delve into these results and discuss the suitable characteristics of small bodies to possess rings, which may contribute to the future observation.
Araujo et al. (2016, 2018) and Wood et al. (2018) studied the stability of asteroidal rings under close encounters with the giant planets. They indicated that the ring system is in most cases stable, which leads to an idea that asteroidal ring systems may be common if the formation mechanisms of these structures are efficient enough. Furthermore, Araujo et al. (2018) estimated the characteristics of small bodies that are likely to have ring systems. However, these close encounters with the giant planets are rare and they did not take close encounters with small bodies into account.
In this work, we particularly focused on the stability of asteroidal ring systems under close encounters with small bodies. In our calculations, we explored various mass and orbital elements of the passing body (hereafter referred to as the invader) to the ring plane. To achieve this, we adopted a restricted three-body equations of motion with fourth-order Runge-Kutta numerical integrations.
We found that the stability of rings strongly depends on the mass of the invader. Our results were consistent with previous studies (e.g., Toomre & Toomre, 1972; Rieder & Kenworthy, 2016): if the encounter occurred in a retrograde manner, the perturbation of rings was milder than in the prograde. In this presentation, we will delve into these results and discuss the suitable characteristics of small bodies to possess rings, which may contribute to the future observation.