Why Halley-types resonate but long-period comets don't: A dynamical distinction between short- and long-period comets

被引:17
作者
Chambers, JE [1 ]
机构
[1] HARVARD SMITHSONIAN CTR ASTROPHYS,CAMBRIDGE,MA 02138
关键词
D O I
10.1006/icar.1996.5567
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
Several recent studies have noted that the orbital evolution of many comets is influenced by mean-motion resonances with Jupiter. However, the distribution and relative importance of these resonances and the orbital characteristics of the comets affected have not been addressed to date. Here I show analytically that cometary orbits with periods greater than a critical value, P-c, (which depends upon the orbital inclination) are prevented from undergoing librations about a mean-motion resonance. Conversely, numerical integrations indicate that resonances play an important role in the dynamics of comets with P < P-c. The inclination-averaged value of P-c approximately coincides with the traditional and arbitrary dividing line between Halley-type and long-period comets, which explains why many of the former are currently observed to be in resonance, whereas the latter are not. Thus, we now have a dynamical justification for separating comets into those of short and long period. (C) 1997 Academic Press
引用
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页码:32 / 38
页数:7
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