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The origin of the Kirkwood gaps - A mapping for asteroidal motion near the 3/1 commensurabilityA mapping of the phase space onto itself with the same low-order resonance structure as the 3/1 commensurability in the planar-elliptic restricted three-body problem is obtained. This mapping is about 1,000 times faster than the usual method of numerically integrating the averaged equations of motion. It exhibits some surprising behavior that might provide a key to the origin of the Kirkwood gaps. It is noted that a test asteroid placed in the gap may evolve for a million years with low eccentricity (less than 0.05) and then suddenly jump to large eccentricity (greater than 0.3), becoming a Mars crosser. The removal of the asteroid by a close encounter with Mars would then be possible. As a first test of this hypothesis, a distribution of 300 test asteroids in the area of the 3/1 commensurability was evolved for two million years. When the Mars crossers are removed, the distribution of initial conditions reveals a gap at the location of the 3/1 Kirkwood gap.
Document ID
19820047311
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Wisdom, J.
(California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 1982
Publication Information
Publication: Astronomical Journal
Volume: 87
Subject Category
Astronomy
Accession Number
82A30846
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-80-20005
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-05-002-003
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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