Full Record & Graph Of A Top 20 Paper in Comets

#3 Ranked Paper of the Top 20 Papers in Comets

Title:

THE LONG-TERM DYNAMICAL BEHAVIOR OF SHORT-PERIOD COMETS

Authors:

LEVISON HF, DUNCAN MJ

Source:

ICARUS 108 (1): 18-36 MAR 1994

Document Type:

Article

Language:

English

Cited References:

Times Cited:

212

Abstract:

We have developed and carefully tested a new computer code to follow the long-term dynamical evolution of a swarm of test particles in the solar system. This new integrator is approximately an order of magnitude faster than previously existing codes. The technique efficiently and accurately handles close approaches between test particles and planets while retaining the powerful features of recently developed mixed variable symplectic integrators.
We use the new code to numerically integrate the orbits of the known short-period comets (those with periods P < 200 years) under the influence of the Sun and all the planets except Mercury and Pluto, for times up to 10(7) years. It is found under a classification based on period that most comets move between Jupiter-family (P < 20 yr) and Halley-family (P > 20 yr) orbits many times in their dynamical lifetimes. However, it is found that the Tisserand parameter, T, does not vary substantially for most comets. Therefore, we adopt a classification originally suggested by Carusi et al. (1987) that defines Jupiter-family comets (JFCs) as comets with T > 2 and Halley-family comets (HFCs) as those with T < 2. In this scheme, less than 8% of comets change families during the integration and most of those that change tend to remain near the Tisserand dividing line throughout. Thus, the JFCs (as defined by the Tisserand parameter) are dynamically distinct from the HFCs. We find that in our forward integration, 92% of comets are ejected from the solar system, and that -6% are destroyed by becoming sun-grazers. The number of sun-grazers is far more than would be expected from the existing analytic theories. The median lifetime of all known short-period comets from the current time to ultimate destruction or ejection is approximately 4.5 x 10(5) years. The very flat inclination distribution of Jupiter-family comets is found to become more distended as it ages. Since JFCs are dynamically distinct from HFCs, they must have an inclination distribution, when they first become visible, that is even flatter than that currently observed. For reasonable values of the physical lifetime before fading, we calculate that there should be roughly 5-20 times as many extinct JFCs as currently known JFCs. Our prediction for the mean cos (i) of the extinct JFCs is consistent with the existing data on these objects. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.

Keywords Plus:

ORIGIN; CAPTURE

Addresses:

LEVISON HF (reprint author), SW RES INST, DEPT SPACE SCI, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78238 USA
QUEENS UNIV, DEPT PHYS, KINGSTON, ONTARIO K7L 3N6 CANADA

Publisher:

ACADEMIC PRESS INC JNL-COMP SUBSCRIPTIONS, 525 B ST, STE 1900, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101-4495

Subject Category:

ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS

IDS Number:

NP778

ISSN:

0019-1035

Graph - Number of Citations (by year):

SOURCE: Full Record - ISI Web of Science, graph - ISI Essential Science Indicators Web product; 1994-2004 (fifth bimonthly). NOTE: Because Web of Science is updated weekly, citation counts may vary slightly from Essential Science Indicators' data which is update bimonthly.


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ESI Special Topics, February 2005
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