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The Stability of Terrestrial Planets in Systems with a Planet in the Asteroid RegionIf a planetary-mass body were present in the asteroid belt, the orbits of the terrestrial planets and those of the giant planets would be more closely coupled. A greater exchange in angular momentum could affect the stability of the terrestrial planets. To study this effect, we have simulated several systems consisting of the Solar System planets and a 0.1 - 10 Earth mass object on the orbit of a main belt asteroid. An integration with Ceres at five Earth masses remained stable for a billion years. Ceres at ten Earth masses, however, caused the system to become unstable at 25 - 50 million years. When additional mass was given to both Ceres (bringing it up to five Earth masses) and Mars (one Earth mass), the systems self-destructed within 40 million years. Systems with Pallas at five Earth masses became unstable at 150 - 170 million years. Vesta at five Earth masses caused the system to become unstable in as little as 13 million years, but systems with Vesta at two Earth masses remained stable for 100 million years.
Document ID
20010003457
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Lissauer, Jack J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Rivera, Eugenio J.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Quintana
Duncan
DeVincenzi, Donald L.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2000
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 344-30-50-01
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-9680
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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