Name:PROPEL
Description:Asteroid Proper Elements Calculation
Abstract:The very long term dynamical evolution of different populations of solar system minor members can be best assessed by using the integrals of motion, that is the average characteristics of motion constant in time. In reality these integrals cannot be computed because of the non-integrability of the equations of motion of the N-body problem. What we can compute are the so-called proper elements of motion, which represent quasi-integrals of motion of the full N-body problem, or true integrals of motion in the simplified dynamics. Methods employed previously to compute proper elements were for the most part either analytical or semianalytical. We developed a purely numerical (synthetic) method, straightforwardly applicable to the wide variety of orbits. This method gives the best results in terms of the accuracy and of the long term reliability, but requires the most advanced computational facilities to cope with the rapidly increasing number of the newly discovered asteroids, Near Earth and Trans Neptunian Objects, Jupiter Trojans etc., for which it is necessary to compute proper elements and study their dynamics. This problem is going to become even more serious with the beginning of operation of the future all-sky surveys like, for example, Pan-STARRS.<BR/><BR/>The proper elements of asteroids will be used in the first place to classify asteroids into families, and to study the dynamical and collisional evolution of the asteroid belt, and of the solar system as a whole. Also they represent a powerfull tool to study the problems of the stability of motion, resonant and chaotic phenomena, etc.<BR/>
Created:2010-05-01
Last updated:2010-05-01
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