Long term behavior of a hypothetical planet in a highly eccentric orbit

Abstract

For a hypothetical planet on a highly eccentric orbit, we have calculated the osculating orbital parameters and its closest approaches to Earth and Moon over a period of 750 kyr. The approaches which are close enough to influence the climate of the Earth form a pattern comparable to that of the past climatic changes, as recorded in deep sea sediments and polar ice cores.

8 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX