Stress field and spin axis relaxation for inelastic triaxial ellipsoids

Abstract

A compact formula for the stress tensor inside a self-gravitating, triaxial ellipsoid in an arbitrary rotation state is given. It contains no singularity in the incompressible medium limit. The stress tensor and the quality factor model are used to derive a solution for the energy dissipation resulting in the damping (short axis mode) or excitation (long axis) of wobbling. In the limit of an ellipsoid of revolution, we compare our solution with earlier ones and show that, with appropriate corrections, the differences in damping times estimates are much smaller than it has been claimed. This version implements corrections of misprints found in the MNRAS published text.

14 pages, 6 figures, published in Monthly Notices RAS (containing misprints)

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Energy Dissipation in Synchronous Binary Asteroids
• Tidal spin down rates of homogeneous triaxial viscoelastic bodies
• Spin Change of Asteroid 2012 TC4 probably by Radiation Torques
• Simulations of wobble damping in viscoelastic rotators
• Fitting the Light Curve of 1I/`Oumuamua with a Nonprincipal Axis Rotational Model and Outgassing Torques
• Relaxation of Viscoelastic Tumblers with Application to 1I/2017 (`Oumuamua) and 4179 Toutatis
• Shape and Rotational Motion Models for Tumbling and Monolithic Asteroid 2012 $\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{C}}_4$:High Time Resolution Lightcurve with the Tomo-e Gozen Camera