Investigation of a Resonant Mechanism for Capture of Irregular Satellites

AST 0607777 KortenkampDrs. Kortenkamp和Tricarico将利用这个奖项来研究在行星迁移过程中捕获不规则卫星的共振机制。该机制涉及行星和被捕获物体之间不寻常的1：1共轨共振。主要目的是确定这种共振机制是否能够使巨行星在行星迁移的后期捕获不规则卫星。第二个目标是确定这种共振机制是否有助于解释火卫一和火卫二被火星捕获。在整个拟议的研究中，Kortenkamp和Tricarico将利用计算机密集型数值模拟。这些方法包括直接N-体数值积分和改进的N-体积分，其中包括模拟行星迁移等效应的算法。了解不规则卫星的起源是行星科学中一个长期存在的问题。考虑到最近发现的数十颗新的不规则卫星围绕太阳系所有四颗巨行星运行，这一目标的优点就更加及时了。Kortenkamp和Tricarico都有使用各种数值技术模拟太阳系动力学的经验。 这项研究将有助于限制最近关于巨行星原始轨道演化的理论。这些理论的一个结果是，不规则的卫星可能在比以前认为的更晚的时间被捕获，因此没有对其他捕获机制至关重要的原始耗散介质的帮助。Kortenkamp和Tricarico将通过探索一种新的共振机制来捕获行星迁移后期阶段的不规则卫星，从而应用一种独特的解决方案来解决这个问题。此外，由于火星靠近小行星带，研究捕获火卫一和火卫二的次要目标可能有助于深入了解小行星带激发和耗尽的机制。因此，虽然他们将研究捕获不规则卫星，但这项工作将对早期太阳系演化的一般模型产生更广泛的影响。除了拟议研究的内在价值外，研究人员还看到了对行星科学研究所活动的重要影响。 Kortenkamp有着与公众、业余天文学家以及学生和教师团体合作的历史。他最近还担任了一系列K-3级儿童科学书籍的科学顾问。Tricarico是一个免费的开源图形模拟器的作者，被业余天文学家广泛用于研究小行星的动力学。他还在为轨道动力学问题开发SETI@Home类型的分布式计算程序。Tricarico还参与了一项合作，为新闻节目提供与重大天文事件相关的数值计算和图形动画。

AST 0607777KortenkampDrs. Kortenkamp and Tricarico will use this award to examine a resonant mechanism for capture of irregular satellites during planetary migration. The mechanism involves an unusual 1:1 coorbital resonance between the planet and object to be captured. The primary objective is to determine whether this resonant mechanism will enable giant planets to capture irregular satellites during the late stages of planetary migration. A secondary objective is to determine whether this resonant mechanism can help explain the capture of Phobos and Deimos by Mars. Throughout the proposed research, Kortenkamp and Tricarico will utilize computer intensive numerical simulations. These methods include direct N-body numerical integration and modified N-body integrations that incorporate algorithms to simulate effects such as planetary migration.Understanding the origin of irregular satellites is a long standing problem in planetary science. The merit of this objective is all the more timely considering the dozens of new irregular satellites recently discovered orbiting all four giant planets in the Solar System. Kortenkamp and Tricarico each have experience modeling Solar System dynamics using a variety of numerical techniques. The research will help constrain recent theories regarding the primordial orbital evolution of the giant planets. One consequence of these theories is that irregular satellites were likely captured at a much later time than previously believed and thus without assistance from primordial dissipative mediums vital to other capture mechanisms. Kortenkamp and Tricarico will apply a unique solution to this problem by exploring a new resonant mechanism for capture of irregular satellites during the late stages of planetary migration. Also, owing to the proximity of Mars to the asteroid belt, their secondary objective of studying capture of Phobos and Deimos may provide insight into the mechanisms responsible for excitation and depletion of the asteroid belt. Thus, while they will be studying the capture of irregular satellites, this work will have a much broader impact on general models of early solar system evolution.In addition to the intrinsic merit of the proposed research, the investigators see an important broader impact on their activities at the Planetary Science Institute. Kortenkamp has a history of working with the general public, amateur astronomers, and groups of students and teachers. He also recently served as scientific consultant for a series of grade K-3 childrens science books. Tricarico is the author of a free open-source graphical simulator widely used by amateur astronomers to study dynamics of minor planets. He is also developing a SETI@Home type distributed computing program for orbital dynamics problems. Tricarico is also involved in a collaboration to provide news programs with numerical computations and graphical animations related to significant astronomical events.