Spin-Spin Coupling in the Solar System

Abstract

The richness of dynamical behavior exhibited by the rotational states of various solar system objects has driven significant advances in the theoretical understanding of their evolutionary histories. An important factor that determines whether a given object is prone to exhibiting non-trivial rotational evolution is the extent to which such an object can maintain a permanent aspheroidal shape, meaning that exotic behavior is far more common among the small body populations of the solar system. Gravitationally bound binary objects constitute a substantial fraction of asteroidal and TNO populations, comprising systems of triaxial satellites that orbit permanently deformed central bodies. In this work, we explore the rotational evolution of such systems with specific emphasis on quadrupole-quadrupole interactions, and show that for closely orbiting, highly deformed objects, both prograde and retrograde spin-spin resonances naturally arise. Subsequently, we derive capture probabilities for leading order commensurabilities and apply our results to the illustrative examples of (87) Sylvia and (216) Kleopatra asteroid systems. Cumulatively, our results suggest that spin-spin coupling may be consequential for highly elongated, tightly orbiting binary objects.

9 pages, 4 figures, accepted to ApJ

References in corpus (7)

• Formation of asteroid pairs by rotational fission
• Tidal Evolution of Rubble Piles
• Formation of Kuiper-belt binaries through multiple chaotic scattering encounters with low-mass intruders
• Mercury's capture into the 3/2 spin-orbit resonance including the effect of core-mantle friction
• Tidal Evolution of Asteroidal Binaries. Ruled by Viscosity. Ignorant of Rigidity
• The Creation of Haumea's Collisional Family
• Near-Earth Asteroid Satellite Spins Under Spin-Orbit Coupling

Cited by in corpus (14)

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• Tidal Evolution of Asteroidal Binaries. Ruled by Viscosity. Ignorant of Rigidity
• The Short Rotation Period of Hi'iaka, Haumea's Largest Satellite
• Chaotic zones around rotating small bodies
• Chaotic dynamics in the (47171) Lempo triple system
• Propagation and Estimation of the Dynamical Behaviour of Gravitationally Interacting Rigid Bodies
• The theory of secondary resonances in the spin-orbit problem
• Hamiltonian formulation of the spin-orbit model with time-varying non-conservative forces
• The spin-spin problem in Celestial Mechanics
• Chaotic dynamics in the planar gravitational many-body problem with rigid body rotations
• Orbital Synchronization Capture of Two Binaries Emitting Gravitational Waves
• Fitting the Light Curve of 1I/`Oumuamua with a Nonprincipal Axis Rotational Model and Outgassing Torques
• The spin-spin model and the capture into the double synchronous resonance
• The Onset of Chaos in Permanently Deformed Binaries from Spin-Orbit and Spin-Spin Coupling