Migration of Near Earth Asteroid to Jovian-Crosser Asteroid:Case Study 3552 Don Quixote

TL;DR

This study investigates the orbital evolution of asteroid 3552 Don Quixote, demonstrating its migration from a Near-Earth Asteroid to a Jovian-crosser asteroid through numerical simulations considering planetary perturbations.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed orbital evolution analysis of asteroid 3552 Don Quixote, highlighting its potential migration pathway to Jupiter-crossing orbits.

Findings

Asteroid 3552 Don Quixote migrates from NEA to Jovian-crosser orbit.

Orbital evolution is influenced by gravitational perturbations of eight planets.

Numerical simulations confirm the migration pathway over time.

Abstract

It is generally recognized that main-belt asteroids (MBAs) and nuclei of extinct comets are the two main sources for the Near-Earth-Asteroids (NEAs). Theoretical studies of NEAs dynamics and numerical modelling of their orbital motions showed that the resonance mechanism for supplying NEAs is quite sufficient to sustain this population. Asteroid 1983 SA, also known as 3552 Don Quixote, is one of Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) and the most probable candidates for NEAs of the cometary origin. In this work, an investigation on the evolution of the orbit is done by using the SWIFT subroutine package, where the gravitational perturbations of eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are considered. Migration of asteroid 3552 Don Quixote from Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) to Jovian-crosser asteroid is found.