Orbital and solar resonance in the Jovian Moon system

The periodic orbit representing the motion of the inner three Galilean satellites of Jupiter is constructed in a rotating frame. Stability analysis indicates linear instability; but the repeated Poincaré exponents are associated with time and rotational symmetries, and it is concluded that the system is orbitally stable. Analysis of system frequencies reveals two resonances with the Sun. The rotation rate of the reference frame is close to 8910 the mean motion of Jupiter, and the period of the reference orbit is nearly 1710446 the period of Jupiter. The 8910 resonance is investigated via the method of averaging. The Jovian system currently circulates just outside the capture boundary with a period of about 117000 year, but with rotation rate of the reference frame varying by over an order of magnitude. Including tidal interaction, the system is evolving towards temporary capture in this resonance.     

Tidally Induced Volcanism

The dissipation of tidal energy causes the ongoing silicate volcanism on Jupiter's satellite, Io, and cryovolcanism almost certainly has resurfaced parts of Saturn's satellite, Enceladus, at various epochs distributed over the latter's history. The maintenance of tidal dissipation in Io and the occurrence of the same on Enceladus depends crucially on the maintenance of the respective orbital eccentricities by the existence of mean motion resonances with nearby satellites. A formation of the resonances among the Galilean satellites by differential expansion of the satellite orbits from tides raised on Jupiter by the satellites means the onset of the volcanism on Io could be relatively recent. If, on the other hand, the resonances formed by differential migration from resonant interactions of the satellites with the disk of gas and particles from which they formed, Io would have been at least intermittently volcanically active throughout its history. Either means of assembling the Galilean satellite resonances lead to the same constraint on the dissipation function of Jupiter Q _J 10⁶, where the currently high heat flux from Io seems to favor episodic heating as Io's eccentricity periodically increases and decreases. Either of the two models might account for sufficient tidal dissipation in the icy satellite Enceladus to cause at least occasional cryovolcanism over much of its history. However, both models are assumption-dependent and not secure, so uncertainty remains on how tidal dissipation resurfaced Enceladus.     

Orbital resonances in the inner neptunian system: I. The 2:1 Proteus-Larissa mean-motion resonance

We investigate the orbital resonant history of Proteus and Larissa, the two largest inner neptunian satellites discovered by Voyager 2. Due to tidal migration, these two satellites probably passed through their 2:1 mean-motion resonance a few hundred million years ago. We explore this resonance passage as a method to excite orbital eccentricities and inclinations, and find interesting constraints on the satellites' mean density () and their tidal dissipation parameters (Qs>10). Through numerical study of this mean-motion resonance passage, we identify a new type of three-body resonance between the satellite pair and Triton. These new resonances occur near the traditional two-body resonances between the small satellites and, surprisingly, are much stronger than their two-body counterparts due to Triton's large mass and orbital inclination. We determine the relevant resonant arguments and derive a mathematical framework for analyzing resonances in this special system.     

Evolution of Migrating Planet Pairs in Resonance

Numerical simulations of the evolution of planets or massive satellites captured in the 2/1 and 3/1 resonances, under the action of an anti-dissipative tidal force. The evolution of resonant trapped bodies show a richness of solutions: librations around stationary symmetric solutions with aligned periapses ( = 0) or anti-aligned periapses ( = ), librations around stationary asymmetric solutions in which the periapses configuration is fixed, but with taking values in a wide range of angles. Many of these solutions exist for large values of the eccentricities and, during the semimajor axes drift, the solutions show turnabouts from one configuration to another. The presented results are valid for other non-conservative anti-dissipative forces leading to adiabatic convergent migration and capture into one of these resonances.     

Tidal Heating and Convection in the Medium Sized Icy Satellites

Surface features of some icy satellites indicate that the satellites are modified due to the internally driven tectonic activity. Convection could be one of the processes responsible for the formation of the surface features. The potential sources of energy inside the satellites are discussed. For the medium sized icy satellites the radiogenic and tidal heat sources seem to be of primary importance. To investigate the problem, a 3D model of convection is developed based on the Navier–Stokes equation, the equation of thermal conductivity, the equation of continuity, and the equation of state. The model includes both the tidal and the radiogenic heating. It can be applied to the homogeneous, non-differentiated medium sized satellites. The 3D formulae for tidal heat generation and stress tensor based on the results of Peale and Cassen (1978) and others are applied. A new dimensionless number C _t is introduced. It measures the relative importance of tidal and radiogenic heat sources. The systematic investigation of the steady-state convection is performed for different values of the Rayleigh number and for 0C _t 1. The results indicate that the convection pattern for low Rayleigh number driven by tidal heating in the medium sized icy satellites consists of two cells. The pattern of tidally driven convection is oriented, that is, the regions of downward motion are situated at the center of the near- and of the far-side of the satellite.     

Analysis of solar radiation pressure induced coupled liberations of a gravity stabilized axisymmetric satellite

A planar, fixed-orbit model of the rotation of the planet Mercury is analyzed. The model includes only the solar torques on the planet's permanent asymmetry and its solar tidal bulge. For this model, it is shown that the zero of the averaged tidal torque corresponds to an asymptotically stable periodic solution of the second kind which, for two tidal torque representations, is close to the asymptotically stable equilibrium point corresponding to an exact 32 spin-orbit resonance. A conjecture that the current rotation state of Mercury is due to transfer from capture by the zero of the averaged tidal torque to 32 resonance capture with changes in the eccentricity of the planet's orbit is discussed briefly.     

Material ejecta in a disturbed solar filament

H observations, using the Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass (MSDP) spectrograph operating on the Meudon Solar Tower, have been made of an active region filament which undergoes a disparition brusque. The period of observation was from 10 45 to 13 30 UT on 22 June, 1981. Velocity and intensity fluctuations in H were measured. The proper motions of ejecta were followed allowing their trajectories and vector velocities to be determined. To model the dynamics of ejecta several models using thermal or magnetic driving forces are compared. The most promising model explains the motion as the consequence of magnetic stresses acting on an isolated magnetized plasmoïd in a diverging flux tube.     

Regular and Chaotic Solutions of the Sitnikov Problem near the 3/2 Commensurability

Regular solutions at the 3/2 commensurability are investigated forSitnikovs problem. Utilizing a rotating coordinate system and theaveraging method, approximate analytical equations are obtained for thePoincare sections by means of Jacobian elliptic functions and 3periodicsolutions are generated explicitly. It is revealed that the system exhibitsheteroclinic orbits to saddle points. It is also shown that chaotic regionemerging from the destroyed invariant tori, can easily be seen for certaineccentricities. The procedure of the current study provides reliable answersfor the long-time behavior of the system near resonances.     

Observations of an unusual pair of homologous flares on March 17, 1970

Correlated optical, radio and X-ray observations are presented for a pair of consequently homologous flares which occurred on March 17, 1970. A rich complexity of behavior in a bright sub-flare with maximum at 1444 UT is repeated in a flare of importance 1B with maximum at 22:49 UT. The unusual and interesting aspect of these flares is that the second flare developed at approximately half the rate of the first. A difference in the trigger mechanism of the two flares is suggested as a possible explanation.     

A simple derivation of capture probabilities for the J+1:J and J+2:J orbit-orbit resonance problems

We present a simplified analytic derivation of the capture probabilities for the j+1j and j+2j orbital resonances. We apply Henrard's method which is based on an extension of the theory of adiabatic invariants and recover the results originally obtained by Yoder.Contribution number 3874 from the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, U.S.A.     

On the coupling of lunisolar resonances for Earth satellite orbits

The resonance C1 occurs when the longitude of the perigee measured from the equinox becomes a slow angle in the doubly averaged equations of motion. This resonance is one of the critical inclination family with I 46°. For prograde Earth satellite orbits, up to five critical points can be identified. Only simple pitchfork bifurcations occur for the single resonance C1. A two degrees of freedom system is studied to check how a coupling of two lunisolar resonances affects the results furnished by the analysis of an isolated resonance case. In the system with two critical angles (g+h and h,+2 , seven types of critical points have been identified. The critical points arise and change their stability through 11 bifurcations. If the initial conditions are selected close to the critical points, the system becomes chaotic as shown in Poincaré maps.     

A statistical theory of resonance motion in the Sun-Jupiter system

We consider the application of the statistical method of phase mixing to the approximate Poincaré solution to resonant motion. The two Poincaré integrals of the motion for the restricted problem of three bodies are introduced to first order in the eccentricity. The theory of the phase mixing of an initialad hoc distribution of particles is then developed for this dynamical system, and the absence of significant evolution of the system far from resonance is verified.A selection of results is given for the 21, 31, and 52 resonances, which show in general a peak on the low side of exact resonance and a gap on the high side. The amplitudes of both the peak and the gap decrease, and their relative separation increases as the resonance order increases, or as the initial distribution is shifted to higher eccentricities. Comparison with large numbers of numerically integrated orbits gives good agreement with the model, at least for small eccentricities. However, the model is unable to exhibit the clean gaps shown by the real asteroid belt. Hence, a purely statistical model of the Kirkwood gaps is ruled out, and we must search for an additional mechanism. Some speculation on possible additional mechanisms is offered.     

Libration of Laplace's argument in the Galilean satellites theory

In the Galilean satellites motion, the Laplace argument ₁3₂+2₃ librates around the value . The amplitude of libration is very small so that the classical theories have not been set up to take into account large librations. On the other hand large librations have to be considered when we describe possible scenarii of capture into resonance by tidal effects. The aim of this paper is to present a new way of applying Hamiltonian perturbation methods to the problem of the Galilean satellites in such a way that the theory is valid for large librations. Preliminary results from such a theory are discussed.     

X-Ray and optical observations of the X-ray source EX0020528+1454.8

We present preliminary results of the EXOSAT X-ray observations and quasisimultaneous and simultaneous optical photometry of the X-ray source EX0020528+1454.8=1E0205+149 found independently as an serendipitous source both with Einstein and EXOSAT satellites. The optical counterpart is a pair of dMe stars. Our results indicate that the object is variable both in X-rays and optical wavelenghts, and probably belongs to dMe flare stars.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Systemes hamiltoniens au voisinage d'une solution d'equilibre. II:Stabilité des solutions périodiques

Resume On étudie la stabilité des solutions périodiques d'un couplage de systèmes linéaires au voisinage de résonances. Les valeurs propres distinctes _k de la matrice du système linéaire non perturbé sont telles que _k–_j=iq pour tout couple [k, j]; i=–1, q est un nombre entier, la fréquence de la solution. Une application est faite pour un système à trois degrés de liberté au voisinage de la résonance 221.

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Hamiltonian systems in the neighbourhood of an equilibrium solution. II:The stability of periodic solutions

The stability of the periodic solutions for an Hamiltonian system is investigated. Here the distinct eigen values _k of the matrix of the unperturbated linear system are such that _k–_j=iq for any [k, j]; i=–1, q is an integer, is the frequency of the periodic solution. An application is made for a system with three degrees of freedom, near the resonance 221.

     

On the quality of resonant absorption as a coronal loop heating mechanism

The qualityQ of a resonance is defined as the ratio of the total energy contained in the system to the dissipation per driving cycle. Hence, a good quality resonance is one with little losses, i.e., little dissipation per driving cycle. However, for heating coronal plasmas by means of resonant absorption of waves, bad quality resonances are required. Here, the quality of the MHD resonances that occur when an inhomogeneous coronal loop is excited by incident waves is investigated for typical coronal loop parameter values in the frame work of linear, resistive MHD. It is shown that the resonances in coronal loops have bad quality and, hence, yield a lot of Ohmic heating per driving cycle compared to the total energy stored in the loop. As a consequence, the time scales of the heating process are relatively short and resonant absorption turns out to be a viable candidate for the heating of the magnetic loops observed in the solar corona.     

Systems hamiltoniens au voisinage d'une solution d'equilibre. I:Orbites périodiques dans les cas résonnants

Resume On étudie les solutions périodiques d'un système Hamiltonien au voisinage des résonances _i/_j N_i et N_j sont des nombres entiers premiers entre eux.Dans le cas ou l'hamiltonien à la forme H=H₀+H₁, une procédure générale est donnée pour trouver les familles de solutions périodiques. Le développement asymptotique de la solution peut être calculé explicitement. L'étude de la stabilité est traitée (Stellmacher, 1984).Une application aux problèmes de dynamique galactique pour un système à trois degrés de liberté est faite pour le voisinage de la résonance 221.

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Hamiltonian systems in the neighbourhood of an equilibrium solution. I:Periodic orbits in cases of resonance

We study the periodic solutions of an Hamiltonian system with n degrees of freedom, near an equilibrium point, in the vicinity of the resonances _i/_jN_i/N_j. N_i/N_j are fractions in their lowest terms for any pair (i, j).In this case, a general procedure to find the families of periodic solutions is given. The asymptotic solutions can explicitly be calculated including the periods. (The stability will be presented in Stellmacher (1984).) An application to a galactic dynamics problem in a system with three degrees of freedom near the resonances 221, is analytically treated in detail.

     

An explanation for the light curve of Jupiter's and Saturn's satellites

Several satellites of Jupiter and Saturn show an asymmetric reflectance between the leading hemisphere (which is generally brighter for the inner satellites of both systems) and the trailing one (which is brighter for the outer satellites Callisto and Iapetus). In order to seek a unified explantation of these observational data we assume that, during the final phase of the satellite accumulation process, the surfaces were subjected to a heavy meteoroidal bombardment by the residual bodies in the circumplanetary protosatellite swarms. With suitable hypotheses about the orbital elements of these bodies, the resulting collision rate is anisotropic in an opposite way for inner and outer satellites, with a difference between the two hemispheres of the order of 10–20% for all satellites except Iapetus (for which the anisotropy is larger). We conclude that the model can qualitatively account for the observed effect, even if it is difficult to propose a detailed mechanism for changing the albedo properties of the satellite surfaces by means of meteoroidal collisions.     

Hyperboloidal precession of a dynamically symmetric satellite. Construction of normal forms of the Hamiltonian

The Norma specialized program package, intended for normalization of autonomous Hamiltonian systems by means of computer algebra, is used in studies of small-amplitude periodic motions in the neighbourhood of regular precessions of a dynamically symmetric satellite on a circular orbit. The case of hyperboloidal precession is considered. Analytical expressions for normal forms and generating functions depending on frequencies of the system as on parameters are derived. Possible resonances are considered in particular. The 6th order of normalization is achieved. Though the intermediate analytical expressions occupy megabytes of computer's main memory, final ones are quite compact. Obtained analytical expressions are applied to the analysis of stability of small-amplitude periodic motions in the neighbourhood of hyperboloidal precession.     

Orbital resonances in the inner neptunian system: II. Resonant history of Proteus, Larissa, Galatea, and Despina

We investigate the orbital history of the small neptunian satellites discovered by Voyager 2. Over the age of the Solar System, tidal forces have caused the satellites to migrate radially, bringing them through mean-motion resonances with one another. In this paper, we extend our study of the largest satellites Proteus and Larissa [Zhang, K., Hamilton, D.P., 2007. Icarus 188, 386-399] by adding in mid-sized Galatea and Despina. We test the hypothesis that these moons all formed with zero inclinations, and that orbital resonances excited their tilts during tidal migration. We find that the current orbital inclinations of Proteus, Galatea, and Despina are consistent with resonant excitation if they have a common density . Larissa's inclination, however, is too large to have been caused by resonant kicks between these four satellites; we suggest that a prior resonant capture event involving either Naiad or Thalassa is responsible. Our solution requires at least three past resonances with Proteus, which helps constrain the tidal migration timescale and thus Neptune's tidal quality factor: 9000<QN<36,000. We also improve our determination of Qs for Proteus and Larissa, finding 36<QP<700 and 18<QL<200. Finally, we derive a more general resonant capture condition, and work out a resonant overlap criterion relevant to satellite orbital evolution around an oblate primary.