Distribution of Jovian perturbations on short-period comet orbits.
Abstract
Statistical distributions of perturbations by Jupiter on the orbital elements of short-period comets are presented. Two groups of hypothetical comets are considered, each containing 1000 members. The cometary orbits all have low inclinations and are randomly oriented. One group is characterized by perihelia near Jupiter's orbit and aphelia near the orbit of Saturn, while the comets of the other group have aphelia near Jupiter's orbit and perihelia at 'observable' distances from the sun. The perturbations considered are those experienced per orbital revolution by the comet, or specifically over the orbital arc at heliocentric distances less than 6 AU. All perturbation distributions are observed to be extremely peaked. The random probability per orbital period for a close encounter with Jupiter, which may lead to considerable perturbations, is very small for the orbits in question (approximately 2% for a passage within 0.41 AU). Some further details of the distributions are also discussed. In particular, a statistical picture of the regression of the nodes for random cometary orbits of the type considered is presented.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series
- Pub Date:
- March 1978
- Bibcode:
- 1978A&AS...31..389R
- Keywords:
-
- Comets;
- Gravitational Effects;
- Jupiter (Planet);
- Orbit Perturbation;
- Solar Orbits;
- Statistical Distributions;
- Histograms;
- Orbital Elements;
- Planetary Gravitation;
- Standard Deviation;
- JUPITER;
- PERTURBATION;
- COMETS;
- ORBITS;
- Astronomy; Comets;
- Comets:Orbits;
- Comets:Perturbations