On the dynamical evolution and end states of binary centaurs

BENVENUTO, O. G.; BRUNINI, A.

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2013 vol. 437 p. 2297 - 2302

0035-8711

In this paper we perform a numerical integration of 666 fictitious Binary Centaurscoming from the trans Neptunian space. Our population is restricted to tight binarieswhose components have sizes between 30 and 100 km. We included the dynamicalperturbations from the giant planets, Kozai Cycles induced by the Sun, and tidalfriction on the orbits of the binaries.We found that most binaries are disrupted duringone of the close planetary encounters, making the mean lifetime of binary Centaursmuch shorter than the one of single Centaurs. Nearly 10 per cent of the binariesreach a very tight circular orbit, arguing in favor of the existence of a non negligiblepopulation of contact Centaurs. Another 10 per cent survive as a binary during theirlifetime as Centaur. Our simulations favour the existence of a small population of verytight Binary Centaurs.