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Orbital Resonances in the Solar Nebula: Strengths and WeaknessesA planetesimal moving in the Solar Nebula experiences an aerodynamic drag which causes its orbit to circularize and shrink. However, resonant perturbations from a protoplanet interior to the planetesimal's orbit can counteract both the orbital decay and the damping of the eccentricity: the planetesimal can be captured into an orbital resonance and its eccentricity pumped up to a modestly high equilibrium value. Thus, orbital resonances constitute (partial) barriers to the delivery of planetesimals into the feeding zone of the protoplanet. We have established the characteristics of the phenomenon of resonance capture by gas drag in the circular restricted three-body approximation. We have determined the strengths of the equilibrium resonant orbits with respect to impulsive velocity perturbations. We conclude that planetesimals captured in orbital resonances are quite vulnerable to being dislocated from these orbits by mutual planetesimal interactions, but that the resonances are effective in slowing down the rate of orbital decay of planetesimals. Only very small bodies, less than or equal to 100 m, are able to reach a approx. 1 Earth mass protoplanet without being slowed down by resonances.
Document ID
19970022340
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Malhotra, Renu
(Lunar and Planetary Inst. Houston, TX United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
June 10, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: ICARUS
Publisher: Academic Press, Inc.
Volume: 106
ISSN: 0019-1035
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-204449
NAS 1.26:204449
LPI-Contrib-813
Meeting Information
Meeting: Planet Formation
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: January 1, 1992
Accession Number
97N72111
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF PHY-89-04035
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASw-4574
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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