Emmanuel Gianuzzi
Formation and Evolution of Narrow Rings around Asteroids
The stellar occultation method has enabled the detection of narrow rings around Centaur asteroids, such as (10199) Chariklo, and trans-Neptunian objects, such as (136108) Haumea and (50000) Quaoar. These discoveries have sparked interest in the formation and evolution of such systems.
This study examines the formation and confinement of these rings, emphasizing their proximity to the 3:1 spin-orbit resonance (between the asteroid rotation and a mean motion of a ring particle). Through numerical simulations, we investigate the dynamical evolution of a particle disk orbiting an asteroid with a non-axisymmetric potential (i.e., a non-spherical body) whose rotation period varies over time. This potential is introduced by incorporating a fixed mass anomaly (a surface bulge) on the asteroid. The evolution of the disk particles under this potential reveals that, depending on the variation in the rotation period, the mass of the anomaly, and the mass of the disk, a narrow ring can be captured in the 3:1 resonance.
While these preliminary results are promising, further work is required to account for the nature of the asteroid’s spin evolution and the effects of different friction and dispersion models on the disk particles.
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Formation and Evolution of Narrow Rings around Asteroids