Stability of Binary Asteroids

Abstract

The dynamics of binary asteroids was modeled by the restricted problem of 2 + 2 bodies (Whipple and Szebehely, 1984). The Sun and Jupiter are the primary masses of the problem and the two asteroids constitute the minor bodies of the system. Numerical integration of the equations of motion was performed to study the stability of such systems.

Examination of the orbital elements and the maximal Lyapunov characteristic exponent (Benettin, Galgani and Streleyn, 1976) of the binary revealed extensive regions of the phase space where bounded quasi-periodic motion is possible. Regions of bounded chaotic motion were also discovered. These regions of bounded motion are significantly larger than those predicted by the classical restricted problem of three bodies (Sun — asteroid — satellite). These results suggest that binary asteroids can exist in the solar system and maintain bounded quasiperiodic orbits against the perturbations of the Sun and Jupiter.