Asteroid triple system 2001 SN263 : surfaces characteristics and dynamical environment. (arXiv:2003.11411v1 [astro-ph.EP])
<a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Winter_O/0/1/0/all/0/1">O. C. Winter</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Valvano_G/0/1/0/all/0/1">G. Valvano</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Moura_T/0/1/0/all/0/1">T. S. Moura</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Borderes_Motta_G/0/1/0/all/0/1">G. Borderes-Motta</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Amarante_A/0/1/0/all/0/1">A. Amarante</a>, <a href="http://arxiv.org/find/astro-ph/1/au:+Sfair_R/0/1/0/all/0/1">R. Sfair</a>
The (153591) 2001 SN263 asteroid system, target of the first Brazilian
interplanetary space mission, is one of the known three triple systems within
the population of NEAs. One of the mission objectives is to collect data about
the formation of this system. The analysis of these data will help in the
investigation of the physical and dynamical structures of the components
(Alpha, Beta and Gamma) of this system, in order to find vestiges related to
its origin. In this work, we assume the irregular shape of the 2001 SN263
system components as uniform density polyhedra and computationally investigate
the gravitational field generated by these bodies. The goal is to explore the
dynamical characteristics of the surface and environment around each component.
Then, taking into account the rotational speed, we analyze their topographic
features through the quantities geometric altitude, tilt, geopotential, slope,
surface accelerations, among others. Additionally, the investigation of the
environment around the bodies made it possible to construct zero-velocity
curves, which delimit the location of equilibrium points. The Alpha component
has a peculiar number of 12 equilibrium points, all of them located very close
to its surface. In the cases of Beta and Gamma, we found four equilibrium
points not so close to their surfaces. Then, performing numerical experiments
around their equilibrium points, we identified the location and size of just
one stable region, which is associated with an equilibrium point around Beta.
Finally, we integrated a spherical cloud of particles around Alpha and
identified the location on the surface of Alpha were the particles have fallen.
The (153591) 2001 SN263 asteroid system, target of the first Brazilian
interplanetary space mission, is one of the known three triple systems within
the population of NEAs. One of the mission objectives is to collect data about
the formation of this system. The analysis of these data will help in the
investigation of the physical and dynamical structures of the components
(Alpha, Beta and Gamma) of this system, in order to find vestiges related to
its origin. In this work, we assume the irregular shape of the 2001 SN263
system components as uniform density polyhedra and computationally investigate
the gravitational field generated by these bodies. The goal is to explore the
dynamical characteristics of the surface and environment around each component.
Then, taking into account the rotational speed, we analyze their topographic
features through the quantities geometric altitude, tilt, geopotential, slope,
surface accelerations, among others. Additionally, the investigation of the
environment around the bodies made it possible to construct zero-velocity
curves, which delimit the location of equilibrium points. The Alpha component
has a peculiar number of 12 equilibrium points, all of them located very close
to its surface. In the cases of Beta and Gamma, we found four equilibrium
points not so close to their surfaces. Then, performing numerical experiments
around their equilibrium points, we identified the location and size of just
one stable region, which is associated with an equilibrium point around Beta.
Finally, we integrated a spherical cloud of particles around Alpha and
identified the location on the surface of Alpha were the particles have fallen.
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